The Lagos State government has said that the ban placed on unauthorised modes of movement of animals, especially live cattle across the State, still subsists stressing that persons found culpable of this act will be prosecuted.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau, who stated this over the weekend while reviewing reports of animal transportation and stray animals, noted that herding cattle along major roads and highways within the metropolis is unacceptable as the State government is committed to putting a stop to the illegal movement of animals.
He explained that unauthorised movement of animals can lead to the spread of contagious diseases such as anthrax, rabies, tuberculosis and other ailments aside from causing road accidents.
Suarau said it is the government’s responsibility to monitor the whole process of animal transportation and handling right from the Animal Markets to the Abattoirs, stressing that the Lagos State government has provided the ideal method of transportation of live animals across the metropolis with the introduction of the Metro Live Animal Transport Scheme.
The Commissioner maintained that Agric-Marshals have been deployed to all Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of the State to check the menace of stray animals and cattle rearing along major roads and highways within the metropolis.
He urged members of the public to give the government their maximum support in implementing policies on movement and transportation of animals, adding that government has a standard for what a mega city mode of animal transit should look like.
“Government has a model which is aimed at ensuring a healthy and hygienic transportation of meat within the metropolis. I, therefore, urge residents to give maximum support to the government in the implementation of these policies”, he said.
