The Rivers State House of Assembly has summoned the Commissioners for Agriculture, Health and Environment to appear before it, next Tuesday, to answer questions related to unhealthy practices at the abattoirs in the state.
The commissioners, according to the assembly, are to appear before the house to explain specifically why slaughter houses still use scrap tyres to burn animal meat and other unsustainable and dangerous environmental practices.
The summon was made when the House entertained a motion on the use of scrap tyres by abattoirs in the state brought to it by the lawmaker representing Asari-Toru Constituency 2, Hon Enemi George.
While deliberating on the summons, 11 members argued in support of the invitation when the Speaker of the house, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani sought members’ contributions.
George had earlier lamented the long standing practice of using tyres to burn meat, which he said, was dangerous to health of those who consume meat.
The lawmaker reminded the speaker that “tyres are made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric wire, carbon black and numerous chemical compounds.”
Arguing further, George said, “a research of the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease registry reveals that tyres contain several heavy weight metals such as lead, zinc and copper, that could be carcinogenous when exposed to consumers over a long time”.
According to him, research shows that some metal residue still hide in cattle hides after burning, which could be injurious and unsafe for human consumption.
“Mr Speaker, this means that Rivers people have been ingesting large quantities of these substances,” he said, linking the black sooth witnessed in the environment to this practice.
He said “to save us from this trend, we have to take serious steps as an assembly to reverse this practice”.
In related development, what seems to be the second phase of the Rivers State Government Amnesty Programme, the Rivers State House of Assembly has reassured repentant cultists that the government would not abandon them but is committed to making their lives better for good.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Peace and Security, Hon Tonye Smart Adoki, gave this assurance when he led members of his committee to meet with the ex-cultists in Bori and Eleme.
Adoki, assured them that he would meet with the Governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, to work out modalities in setting up a task force, that would comprise of the different cult groups, for a surveillance job.
He pleaded with the ex-cultists to drop all their differences and join hands with the government to bring lasting peace, to enable government create enabling environment for employment generation.
Adoki said, “We have come to talk nothing but peace, we have come as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to preach peace, we have not come to discuss politics, but to see how we can make lives better for you.
“We have come to beg you people to stop the crisis, and bring crime and criminality to an end. Stop all forms of kidnapping, armed robbery, theft and the rest.
“It won’t be better after all said and done, we start hearing that you have commenced hostility again”, he advised.
He also pleaded with them not to hesitate in voicing their challenges as government was prepared to alleviate them.
“If it is employment, if it marginalisation by companies operating in your area, whatever you know that you are being deprived of, tell us, let us know, and we promise you that we have the capacity to call any person who is trying to deprive you of your rights to order”.
He assured them that they have a better future ahead of them, and advised them to shun all manner of crime.
Earlier while lamenting their grievances, some of the ex-cult leaders complained of marginalization and unemployment by companies operating within their areas.
One of them, Comrade Alloy Ejor, lamented that most of the multinational companies such as Total, Mobil, Intels, and NOTORE, do not employ indigenes, stressing that even when they employ “one or two”, they do it on contract with meagre salary.
Also speaking, another ex-cultist simply known as “Italian”, wondered why they should lack in the midst of plenty.
He thanked the committee for the gesture, and promised that, henceforth, the area would be peaceful “If we have jobs to do”.
They collectively promised to drop their differences, unite and work together with law enforcement agents to end crimes and violence.
Prominent among the ex-cult groups at the meeting were the “Dey Gbam” and “Iceland”.