24th August, 2016
The Kaduna State chapter of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria has decried the unhygienic conditions prevalent in abattoirs and slaughterhouses in Kaduna.
Its President, Mr. Yande Mairiga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kaduna on Wednesday that the situation was posing “massive danger” to public health.
“The current condition of abattoirs in Kaduna State, particularly those in Kakuri, Rigasa and Sabon Tasha expose residents to contagious diseases.
“We are not satisfied with the management of the abattoirs; their environmental sanitation is horrible as the areas are littered with mountains of refuse while the drainage is blocked,” he said.
The official regretted that the piled effluents flow spread to other parts of the market after rains and contaminate consumables.
The association also expressed dissatisfaction with the meat transportation system from the abattoirs.
“The common practice is to transport meat on motorcycles; this practice exposes meat to disease vectors such as flies and dust,” he observed.
Mairiga declared that consumers deserved to buy clean and healthy meat and not one infested with diseases due to the unhygienic condition of the abattoirs.
He challenged the Kaduna State Government to ensure hygiene in abattoirs to minimise the dangers of such poor sanitation to public health.
The official said that the association would soon embark on enlightenment on environmental cleanliness in local government areas to forestall the outbreak of diseases.
“After the campaign, anyone who fails to maintain a clean environment will be prosecuted,” he said.