Butchering Activities Resume At Oko-Oba Abatioir

By Felix Kuyinu

The Lagos State Government has lifted it’s ban on activities at Oko-Oba Abatioir in Agege following its short closure due to unhygenic practices.

The government condemned the unsanitary activities, poor waste mismanagement, and unhygienic handling of animal products.

In addition, the state’s Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, noted that some individuals were found sleeping in the market alongside several illegal structures erected on drainages.

LAGESC added that during an inspection at the market, animal butchers were seen slaughtering animals and discharged the wastes into the public drainage system.

However, the state through the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that since the closure of the facility on June 19, the stakeholders have carried out a clean up exercise and promised to ensure proper hygiene and comply with the stipulated environmental laws.

Wahab said, “The operators have substantially complied with the minimum benchmark for the operations of abattoirs in the state, which was flagrantly flouted initially, necessitating the closure.

“We saw some illegal structures erected along drainage setbacks within the abattoir premises. All the structures were removed and the closure was carried out to ensure improved hygiene and operational standards at the market.”

The Commissioner relayed that the state has imposed a monthly inspections of the abattoir to further monitor improvement of cleaniness by the operators.