The Lagos State Government has fulfilled its promise to provide an enabling environment for the consumption of wholesome red meat by residents, with the commissioning of five different projects in the value chain.
The State, through the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with private investors, facilitated the implementation of the projects at the Lagos State Central Abattoir, Oko-Oba, Agege.
The projects include the reconstruction of 600 meters of Oko-Oba Abattoir Road A, the New Carcass Refrigerated Meat Vans (Eko Fresh Meat Van), Offals and Tripes Transport Logistics, Cattle Crush Way, and a Carcass Incinerator.
Speaking at the event to commission the projects, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said that the delivery of the projects is a testament to the commitment of the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure healthy living for the people of the state.
Oko-Oba Abattoir, built in 1992 by the former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, remains the flagship abattoir in Lagos. The commissioner stated that the upgrading and maintenance of the facility are of paramount importance to the current government.
“Oko-Oba Abattoir is the flagship abattoir facility for Lagos State, which requires constant maintenance to ensure the facility remains in an optimal state. This requires constant stakeholder engagement, particularly considering what the State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is trying to do under the Red Meat Value Chain.”
“This place has seen a lot of wear and tear in recent years, and the road that we have come to commission today was in a dilapidated state. Thankfully, the concessionaire and private players in partnership with the Lagos State Government have taken it upon themselves to ensure the maintenance and upgrading of this place.”
“We have commissioned a six-hundred-meter stretch of Road A, running from one end of the abattoir to the other. We have also commissioned over 65 vehicles in different categories, carrying different weighted carcasses, in partnership with private investors. The cattle crush way, which is a channelization of how cattle move from the market to the lairage before going for slaughter, is another project that we have commissioned,” she said.
Olusanya added that numerous government interventions to prevent unwholesome meat consumption have been fruitful, and the government will continue to lay down and enforce rules and regulations to ensure that Nigerians and Lagosians receive the hygiene standards they deserve in their kitchens.
The Commissioner assured that the state will continue advocacy to make sure residents patronize vendors where meats are being sold in the right format, stressing that utilizing these trucks and standardized equipment will significantly reduce the illegal transportation of red meat carcasses around the state and protect the health of Lagosians.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, urged residents to key into the initiative aimed at ensuring that slaughtering, transferring, and selling meat is done under hygienic conditions.
He said the facility is strategic in creating an ambiance of hygiene, which must be maintained.
Some dignitaries at the event lauded the state government’s strides toward redefining the agricultural space, with some assuring their support to further develop the sector.
