In an effort to ensure safe and healthy practices in Slaughter houses, the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources,  Prof. Anthony Eneji, has observed the closure of illegal slaughtering slabs operating in the State.
The Commissioner, who stated this in an interview, decried  the rate at which individuals and groups, set up slaughtering slabs without due process  and endorsement by the state Veterinary Department, adding that people in the State could be exposed to major health risk if such slaughters are allowed to operate in the State.
He assured that the State-owned abattoir located at Ikot Eneobong, 8 Miles, as well as other government-owned slaughter houses, are safe and functional with veterinary staff always on ground to ascertain the health of animals before slaughtering.
Eneji,  further appealed to those in the private sector to key into the ministry’s idea on safe practices in abattoirs, providing  hygienic vehicles to convey meat from the state abattoir to the market, noting that transporting meat from abattoirs  in passenger’s vehicles may expose meat to disease vectors such as flies and dust.
Similarly, the State Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Chris Ngaji, said it is the statutory responsibility of the Veterinarians  to inspect and certify that  meat is safe for consumption before it is taken to the market, revealing that Veterinary staff, have been deployed to all slaughter slabs to ensure that dead and infected  animals,  are not  passed for consumption.

Friday Nwagbara, Calabar