The Trans Amadi Slaughter Market Butchers’ Association has cried out against the activities of illegal abattoirs in the state.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the union, Mr Babasjowo Tanko, in a chat with newsmen, weekend, in Port Harcourt, claimed that operators of these illegal abattoirs were promoting the sale of dead and infected cow meat to the public.
Tanko, however, exonerated the Trans Amadi slaughter market abattoirs from such heinous crime.
He said that the abattoirs at the Trans Amadi market was noted for its quality trademark for more than 50 years of its existence, stressing that the butchers at that market could not involve themselves in the sale of dead and infected cow meat.
According to him, “in Islam, we don’t eat anything dead and I can assure you that we are the best slaughter in the Niger Delta … we have a quality trademark for more than 50 years”.
Tanko stated that the abattoirs operators were working in collaboration with relevant health officials in the state ministry of agriculture to ensure that healthy cows were slaughtered under hygienic conditions, noting that the illegal abattoirs did not bother about veterinary care in their operations.
The’ union, expressed worry over the large number of illegal slaughters dotting the state, saying that they were the source of the problems the Trans Amadi slaughter was experiencing.
He said: “The state has been very porous in which other people bring in dead cows to butcher in those mushroom slaughters. There are slaughters all over the state … they are giving us a lot of headache, they don’t even have veterinary doctors that check them”.
Tanko enjoined the state government to put machinery in place that will checkmate the activities of these illegal abattoirs.
Tonye Nria-Dappa
