Authorities of the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture may have begun investigations following revelations made by some butchers on how dead animals and other deleterious meat were illegally imported into the state.
At a meeting with butchers in the state, yesterday, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Magnus Kpakol said the state government was bent on checking the menace as he urged the butchers to improve on their services or face tough sanctions.
The Tide learnt that the butchers, mostly those who buy from ranchers and cattle owners, blamed the menace on a long chain of secret merchants who are not members of the association.
According to them, the dead animals come in from different axis, especially Okigwe in Abia State where the cattle are first disembarked for circulation in the South-East and South-South.
The Tide learnt that once the cattle arrive, the live ones are transported at higher prices, while the dead ones are purchased at the spot by rings of big restaurants, hoteliers and brought into the city for cooking in different eating spots.
The meats from the dead animals circulate up to Bonny and Bori, where middlemen who claim to be butchers, buy and sell to end users.
It was revealed further that most of the meats are from cattle that die in the course of haulage from the Northern part of the country.
The Tide also learnt that dealers buy the animals at cheaper prices; hence it has become a mainstay for the major buyers.
Furthermore, it was gathered that most of the animal skin in circulation (kpomo), a popular delicacy amongst the populace, are skins of donkeys and horses illegally brought into the state.
To make matters worse, The Tide learnt that these “kpomo” which sell at cheaper prices, are preserved with formalin to make them more attractive to the eyes.
Consequently, Kpakol has declared that henceforth, government will be more stringent while officials will move round approved abattoirs for inspection.
Kpakol also announced plans by the state government to build new four abattoirs, one in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, while the other three are to be sited in the three senatorial districts of the state.
He urged butchers in the state to reorganise themselves for better and efficient service delivery, declaring that unapproved abattoirs will be shut down.
Recall that penultimate week, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture announced plans to check illegal abattoirs and sale of cattle around the state.
