A cross-section of resi
dents of Port Harcourt have applauded the shutdown of the Trans-Amadi abattoir, by the Caretaker Committee  Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Mr Bright Amaewhule, on grounds of insecurity and uncleanliness.
The Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International Services, Mrs Nancy Ajiagu, who spoke to The Tide at Trans-Amadi, said it was a welcome development, stressing that hygiene was a big issue at the slaughter .
According to her, “if you have the misfortune of reaching the slabs where meat is dressed, you would not want to eat meat again in your life”.
Ajiagu hinted that the area was often waterlogged and laden with crawling organisms, which she said was a huge meat contaminant.
She however expressed the hope that the closure was not politically motivated, “but to really get the place cleaned up so that people can get healthy meat to consume”.
Another respondent, Mrs Joyce Ebenezer, a food vendor at the slaughter market, also gave commendation for the closure of the slaughter section of the market.
Ebenezer said, “I am happy that at last government is standing up to its responsibility to regulate the operations of this slaughter.
I heard government has told them to stop using tyre to burn meat, but they still use tyre and we have no choice than to buy the meat because we have to eat meat”.
Also responding, the Head Teacher,  UPE Model Primary School Borokiri,  Miss Eugeina  Abere, expressed joy, saying that the move would alert consumers on the nature of meat they have been consuming and used the opportunity to advise that people should wash their meat with salt and cook very well before consuming.
The Obio/Akpor council boss had directed that the slaughter be shut down due to the poor sanitation conditions and insecurity of the place.
He also cautioned the public against consuming meat from the slaughter claiming that a Lassa fever victim had been identified from that place.
The state Health Educator, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Doris Nria, has however debunked the claim saying that the ministry has not received any notification of a Lassa Fever case from there and warned that such false claims could prove to be counterproductive to the business community of the area.

Tonye Nria-Dappa