FCTA warns butchers on unhealthy meat processing

By Ayoni M. Agbabiaka

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned butchers in the territory to desist from using tires to roast meat, saying researches had shown that tires contained highly toxic materials that constitute a great risk to consumers.

The Director in charge of Agriculture Services of the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Alhaji Isa Ademoh, gave the warning yesterday during the inauguration of the newly elected executives of Garki Butchers Association in Abuja.
He said the Agric Secretariat has commenced public awareness campaign to sensitise FCT residents to be cautious and avoid buying meat roasted with tires.

Ademoh revealed that the Secretariat had been working hard to ensure that meat handling in the abattoirs and at point of sale meets the required safety and hygienic standards, stressing that officials in the Animal Saervices Division had been authorised to step up their inspection activities of all abattoirs in the territory.
While acknowledging the challenges faced by butchers in the territory, he, however, assured them of the total commitment of the Secretariat to address the various challenges in the abattoirs, particularly on the areas of potable and constant water supply as well as proper waste management.

He charged the newly inaugurated executives to use their positions to change the negative perception that had over the years been associated with butchers as a disorderly people, adding that butchers must begin to adopt conducts that will endear them to the society.
“I must therefore commend you for taking this bold step which I believe will unite you under one umbrella and also foster better relationship between your organisation and the Agric Secretariat,” he said.

Earlier, in his remarks, chairman of Garki Butchers Association, Malam Hassan Maijanman, called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration to support the association in its efforts to produce healthy meat for public consumption.
Maijanman stressed the need for FCT Administration to provide a standard abattoir, refrigerator van and butcher’s meat shops in designated areas across the territory, even as he pledged the association’s commitment to keep the abattoirs clean to avoid contamination.