‘Semi-Mechanised Abbatoir boosts Ondo’s IGR’

By Fatima Muraina
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Ondo State Semi Mechanised Abbatoir has begun to boost the state IGR since it commenced operation this year to a tune of N1.5million naira monthly.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Asiwaju Adegboyega Adefarati made this known in a chat with The Hope in Akure.

Adefarati said the Abbatoir is now functioning and slaughters prepare an average of 70 cows per day since it commenced operation this year.

He said the Abbatoir has become  a central slaughtering slab for the Akure South and North local government areas saying that other slaugheting slabs are not allowed to operate again.

The decision to concentrate on the Central Abbatoir, Adefarati said is not because of the IGR but to ensure that wholesome meat is processed for the citizens of the state.

” We do not allow any other slaughtering slab within the two local government areas because we want to maintain the hygene of the meat for human consumption.

 A Veterinary doctor must inspect the cows before slaughtering them  to ascertain whether  they are fit for consumption to provide wholesome meat to the people of the state”, he said.

He disclosed that the state has begun to plan for the establishment of such abattoirs within the Southern and Northen senatorial districts in the state.

Speaking on the development, the Director of the State Veterinary Department of the State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Adebayo Ehinmowo declared that  there had been no revenue loss since the Abbatoir commenced operation.

Ehinmowo said each animal is slaughtered at the rate of N2,000 as against the former N500 indicating that the state now gets more than 50 percent of what it used to get before.

He said there are about 10 sharing points outside the Abattoir for those who may want to purchase parts of the animal like the leg, hand, head or to buy half or quarter part of the animal.

He urged people to patronise the Abbatoir which he said is not only economical, but ensuring that the meat are good for human consumption.

He also encouraged those for ceremonial slaughtering of cows to make advantage use of the development which he said would be easier for them, rather than buying and transporting the cow home for slaughtering.

Speaking on the development, the state Chairman of the National Cattle Butchers Union of Nigeria, Alhaji Asimiyu Tella said they have been able to cue in to the system.

He urged  government to help in reduction of the payment which he observed is on the high side saying that cattle business is not encouraged at present.

“Government should  help us reduce the payment for slaughtering to N1,000 instead of N2,000 because  market for cow business is not encouraging now”, he said.

It would be noted that the Abbatoir had been in construction for over twenty five years, but now made functional by the Akeredolu-led administration.