NANTS kicks off construction of world-class abattoir in Abuja
By Matthew Eloyi
The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), in collaboration with West African Institute for Trade and Agricultural Development (WAITAD), has commenced the construction of a Word-Class small-scale Abattoir in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.
The project is tagged “Innovative Investment in Livestock and Meat Value Chain Development and Trade.’’
It is supported by ECOWAS and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation with the Gwagwalada Area Council and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as collaborators.
Dr Ken Ukaoha, NANTS President, speaking at the groundbreaking of the project on Friday, in Giri, Gwagwalada, Abuja, said the project would be completed in the next six months.
Ukaoha explained that the project is part of the association’s measures to address the ill and obsolete practices in slaughtering, processing, and handling of meat in the Territory.
He noted that the livestock and meat sector along the West African corridor, particularly the marketing sub-sector, was bedeviled with challenges, ranging from archaic slaughter infrastructure, outdated processing facility, and unhygienic handling and environment.
He listed others as weak distribution networks, inability to compete with imports, and weak capacity to attract investments and mobilize youth employment among others.
In his words, “A visit to an average abattoir and meat market in Nigeria exhibits disgusting sight of unhygienic practices which rather pose heavy public health risks and indeed constitute a breeding ground for a possible pandemic.
“Essentially, the current era of Coronavirus (COVID-19), and other related ailments have made sanitation very necessary and calls for serious investment and caution in the preparation and consumption of meat and other livestock products.
“And it was for these cogent reasons that NANTS and its consortium members sought to address the problems through the adoption of a holistic and integrated approach which will cover several related and independent activities even beyond the construction of the abattoir.”
According to the President, the abattoir, when completed, will showcase best practices to practitioners in West Africa and serve as a training arena for butchers and other practitioners in the meat value chain, traders, transporters, and other handlers.
NANTS kicks off construction of world-class abattoir in Abuja
