11th March, 2018
The Lagos State government has said that the ban placed on unauthorised modes of movement of animals, especially live cattle across the State still subsist, stressing that persons found culpable in this act will be prosecuted.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau who stated this at the weekend while reviewing reports of animal transportation and stray animals noted that the menace of releasing cattle along major roads and highways within the metropolis was unacceptable, adding that the state government was commitment to stopping illegal movement of animals across the state.
He explained that unauthorised movement of animals could lead to the spread of contagious disease such as anthrax, rabies, tuberculosis and other ailments aside from causing road accidents.
Suarau said it was necessary for the government to monitor the whole process of animal transportation and handling right from the Animal Markets to the Abattoirs, stressing that the government has handled significantly the transportation of live animals by the introducing the Metro Live Animal Transport which had been very effective in transporting live animals across the metropolis.
The Commissioner added that the government has sent Agric-Marshals to all local government and local council development areas of the State as part of its stray animal control policy to put an end to the menace releasing cattle along major roads and highways within the metropolis.
He urged members of the public to give the government their maximum support in implementing policies on movement and transportation of animals adding that government has a standard for what a mega city mode of animal transit should look like.
“Government has a model which is aimed at ensuring a healthy and hygienic transportation of meat within the metropolis. I therefore urge residents to give maximum support to government in the implementation of these policies”, he said.
He maintained that the commitment of the present administration towards the attainment of a standard animal handling model depends largely on cooperation of every resident of the state, adding that hygienic environment occupies the front burner of the present administration as a way to facilitate job and wealth creation as well as reduce poverty.