By Segun Ajayi

With an estimated 10,000 cows slaughtered in Lagos State daily, constant re-evaluation of standards and improved quality control measures have become critical in order to safeguard the health of consumers of red meat in the mega city. Hitherto, players in the red meat value-chain conducted their businesses under unhygienic conditions until the building of Oko-Oba, Agege abattoir in 1992, and and the introduction of refrigerated vans to transport meat across the state 10 years later.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has taken steps to change the narrative of the 34-year old abattoir by making it more business-friendly. Consequently, with the support of the private sector, the state government recently boosted the existing delivery vans with additional 65 new vehicles to deliver meat to different parts of the state. Other measures introduced by the state government to improve standard practices within the red meat value-chain include upgrade of equipment used at the abattoir, inauguration of 20-feet mobile container retail meat outlets in some parts of Lagos, and establishment of Butchers Academy to attract youths to the butchery business and change public perception of meat sellers as failures. Before then, the state government had reconstructed the 600-metre road that leads to the 3,000-cow daily capacity slaughter slab at Oko-Oba.

At the inauguration of the refrigerated vehicles in Agege, Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya explained that the initiative was part of the 2021 five-year agriculture roadmap. She urged the butchers to maintain and maximise the opportunity of the enabling environment, and the tools and equipment provided at the butchery to enhance service delivery within that business space.

Olusanya also saw reason in continued sensitisation of Lagosians about the dangers of purchasing meat from unverifiable sources. “There is the need to sensitive Lagosians on the dangers of buying meat from places that are not sold in the right format”, she said. She broke it down as meat sold with flies perching on it, and meat carried on the shoulder or with bare hands, and on motorbikes. According to the commissioner, the clamour for sale of wholesome meat must not be left to government alone stressing: “We expect Lagosians to also begin to clamour that wherever they buy meat from, they should always push the butchers and customers whom they have relationships with to adhere and utilise the standards and equipment provided by private sector players within that space”. 

As part of the ongoing overhaul of red meat sale and delivery, the state government, pen-ultimate Monday, inaugurated the Last Mile retail meat outlets and the Butchers Academy at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. Olusanya said the initiative,which pilot phase would kick-off in four locations in Ijeh area of Dolphin Estate, Surulere and Mushin, was meant to restore Lagosians confidence in what they consume while also making cow meat look presentable within standard facilities. In addition to bringing healthy meat closer to the people, the initiative will also drive youth employment as the retail outlets will be manned by youths. “Each meat shop is to be manned by four people allocated a cow slaughtered at Agege abattoir and brought to them in hygienic manner”, Olusanya further said.

Meanwhile, the journey into overhauling the Ministry of Agriculture featured in the 2021 five-year roadmap started way back during the tenure of  Oba of Oniruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, as commissioner under then Governor Babatunde Fashola. 

For instance during the period, government began the revamp of meat transportation system by introducing Eko Meat Van, thereby laying to rest the practices of conveying meat with wheel barrows, motorbikes and rickety vehicles. The cattle feedlot project promised by the Sanwo-Olu-led administratio is ongoing and will be delivered soon, Olusanya disclosed.