Veterinarian Seeks Law On Meat Inspection, Hygiene

In a bid to ensure
standardised production of meat for export, a veterinarian, Dr Emmanuel Onyeka, has urged the Federal Government to pass a national law that will promote meat inspection and hygiene.
Onyeka, who is the Director of Veterinary Services in the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Enugu recently.
According to him, a national law will make the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to allow Nigeria to export processed meat.
“What I feel is that we have to have a national law on meat inspection and hygiene which would raise our own to international standard.
“So that our meat will qualify and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will allow us to export our meats to outside countries because with the standards we have in Nigeria now, we cannot export our meat.
“So, we need to up-grade the level of meat inspection and meat hygiene by having a national law, which will now meet international standards to help us export our meat.’’
The director noted that the state of the abattoirs where the cows are slaughtered is an eyesore, saying the way the meat is also being conveyed to the market is unhygienic.
“Even the method it is being conveyed to the selling point in the market as well as how it is exposed to flies and other insects within the markets.’’
Our correspondent reports that the Agriculture (Control of Importation) Act No 28 of 1959 was enacted in Nigeria in 1959 with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the ministry responsible for enforcement and monitoring.
Consequently, state governments were allowed to enact their own laws with the Federal ministry as the enforcing and monitoring body.
Thus, state governments began to pass their individual laws, beginning with the Meat Law of Kaduna State, which was enacted in 1968, followed by the Meat Inspection Law of Anambra State (adapted in Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, and Enugu states).
The Meat Law and Regulations of Lagos State then followed.
Subsequently, other states enacted their own Meat Laws, with the Federal ministry as the enforcer and monitor of the Acts.
This situation has led to the development of unhygienic environments, poor meat handling, and the production of unwholesome meat at most abattoirs in the states.