The Rivers State Executive Council on Monday has approved a total shut down of the Oginiba slaughter market located in Trans -Amadi Industrial layout in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
The council gave the approval during its meeting presided over by Gov. Nyesom Wike at Government House in Port Harcourt.
Dr Fred Kpakol, the State Commissioner for Agriculture. while briefing journalists after the council meeting, said a new government project has been designated to be sited at the land in Trans-Amadi.
Kpakol stated that all occupants and those doing business in the slaughter are advised to pack out of the premise within the next one month.
“The slaughter in Trans-Amadi, Port Harcourt has now been permanently closed down and all trading activities have been directed to cease forthwith, a new project of government will be built at slaughter soonest,
Speaking further, Kpakol recalled that at its previous meeting, the state council approved the building of a new abattoir in Mgbuosimini, Rumueme.
According to him, the new abattoir, which will replace the slaughter in Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout, will be an automated facility.
Kpakol said the new abattoir will have the capacity to slaughter 400 cattle as well as 1500 goats and sheep in a day.
According to him, the modern abattoir will be world standard and will be set up in an hygienic environment.
“The modern abattoir to be built in Mgbuosimini in Rumueme, is a modern abattoir, fully automated with the state-of-the-art facilities,
“It has a meat mart, administrative building, internal roads, shore protection, veterinary clinics and laboratories that will check the animals before, and also the tissues when being slaughtered,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Zacheaus Adangor (SAN), the Attorney General of the state, also told journalists that banning of all trading activities at the slaughter market by the state government is in exercise of its right under the law.
Adangor, who is also the Commissioner for Justice, stated that all users of the market would be moved to the new abattoir to be constructed by the state government.
“In exercise of its right under law, the governor has decided to ban all trading activities at that slaughter market and the users will be moved to the new abattoir to be constructed by the Rivers State Government,” he stated.
Mr Paulinus Nsirim, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, also explained that the decision to shut the Oginiba slaughter and build a modern abattoir in Mgbuosimini, Rumueme, is in line with the New Rivers’ vision, engineered by the governor.(NAN)
