Agriculture
Association Wants Meat Commission
President, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr. Gani Enahoro, has called for the establishment of a Meat Commission to curtail the deplorable standard of abattoirs.
Enahoro told The Tide Source that a Meat Commission would ensure the quality of meat sold to the people as well as ensure proper sanitation in abattoirs.
He said, “The Federal Government needs to spare some time and address the deplorable condition of abattoirs in the country.
“There should be a Meat Commission for Nigeria where strict quality control would be the watch-word.’’
Enahoro decried the mode of transportation of meat from abattoirs to points of sale, adding that it was appalling and unhygienic.
“Using small cars and motorcycles to transport the product does not only make it unwholesome, it also does not ensure cleanliness.
“Infrastructure in the entire meat industry needs to be overhauled,” he said.
He stressed the need to ensure the quality of meat sold in markets, saying: “It is useless transporting unwholesome meat with the best form of means.
“It is like dressing up a leprous foot in a very expensive shoe.”
On safety measures that could be taken against importation of infected exotic pets, Enahoro advised the Federal Government to ensure proper scrutiny before issuing a permit.
“First, exotic pets should properly be imported into Nigeria and by that I mean import permit, issued by the Federal Department of Livestock should be obtained.
“The pets should have been certified free of communicable diseases by the exporting country’s veterinarian and necessary quarantine services carried out,” he said.
He also advised that a thorough inspection should be carried out by the veterinary authorities in the country before allowing imported pets to mix with local ones.
Dr Markus Avong, the Registrar, Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) recently condemned the state of abattoirs in the country, and advised the public to insist on proof of healthy state of meat before purchasing it for consumption.
Avong said that the council was working on a legal framework that would empower it to be the regulatory body for the entire cadre of animal health care practitioners in the country.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.