Veterinarian Calls For Better Meat Handling

The Director and Head of Department, Livestock and Veterinary Services in the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Allswell Emejuru, has warned members of the public against the consumption of meat handled by illegal operators of slaughter slabs in the state.

Emejuru who spoke to our special correspondent recently in an exclusive interview in his office in Port Harcourt explained that such illegally handled meat was not safe for human consumption.

He said that most of the meat being handled by these criminals were either stolen or scavenged from sick or dead cattle.

On efforts put in place by his department to check the menace, Dr. Emejuru said they were in partnership with the police, explaining that “the police have always cooperated with us each time we report such cases to them.”

On the manner in which butchered meat was transported into the various markets across the state, Dr. Emejuru acknowledged the possibility of meat being contaminated during transit explaining that measures were in place to ensure proper handling.

He said that there are about 31 registered slaughter slabs across the state with qualified staff attached to them to inspect the meat before and after slaughtering in order to certify them wholesome and safe for human consumption.

The Director further explained that veterinary personnel were made to undergo medical checkup every year to determine the state of their physical and medical fitness with assistance from the State Ministry of Health.

However on the state of health of cattle brought from the northern part of the country to the state, the Director explained that his department was involved in the monitoring of live stock as soon as they arrives the state.

“From the North, we have our staff that monitor the cattle to make sure the meat entering the state is safe and do not transmit diseases to our own animals.

“So we make sure that as it enters the state beginning from the slaughter and movement to the market we follow up” he explained.

According to him, some of the registered slabs were located at Rumuodomaya, Rumuokrushe, Ogbogoro, Eastern by-pass, Trans Amadi, Bori, Choba, Ahoada among others, adding that each of the slabs were equipped with god water source.