Kunle Adelabu
The Lagos State Government has taken giant steps towards revamping the process of selling red meat in the metropolis by ensuring proper hygiene before the product gets to the final consumers.
State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, disclosed this in Alausa, at the launching of the last Mile Meat Shops and Butchers Academy.
She said that the initiative was to give residents confidence on what they consume, while also making it look presentable with standard facilities, to encourage youths to come into the space.
The commissioner further noted that the essence of the initiative was for residents to embrace butchery and correct the erroneous impression that the profession is reserved for the unenlightened.
Olusanya noted that the 20 feet containers designed as pilot scheme for the initiative, can be easily transferred from one location to another.
According to her, each meat shop is to be manned by four youths allocated a cow slaughtered at approved government abattoirs, and brought to them under hygienic conditions and processes.
She, therefore, demanded for collaboration with the private sector to enlarge the scheme, noting that they have started with 20 feet containers and hope to increase it soon to 40ft.
Going back memory lane, Abisola Olusanya explained that the initiative was part of the Lagos State Agriculture Roadmap, adding that the initial plan was to have 20 for a start, but was cut to 5 in the pilot scheme.
According to her, the overhauling in the transportation sector led to the introduction of Eko Meat Van that ended the era of conveying meat through unwholesome practices.
She also pointed out that the Cattle feed lot in Lagos is ongoing and part of the promises made by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu led government which will be delivered soon.
On his part, the Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Hon Emmanuel Olotu, commended the ministry for introducing ideas that will bring food and comfort to the door steps of residents.
He urged the Butchers Association to ensure that they put into practice what they learnt during training at the Butchers Academy.
The Chairman House Committee on Agriculture stressed that the butchers must realise the fact that they are attending to over twenty million residents and as a, should be wary of what they pass on to them.
While adding his voice, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, said that the initiative was a quality controlled measure in the state, to give value for money.
He assured that all the Meat Shops will sell in kilograms by weight, for uniformity purpose.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Emmanuel Audu, described the event as groundbreaking, adding issues around meat consumption are important for human existence.
He also disclosed that food safety cannot be overlooked, recalling that COVID 19 had its root in an animal market in China.
The Permanent Secretary further said that the initiative was to assist in value chains in meat distribution as safety and quality are being addressed with the launch.
Emmanuel Audu concluded that the Last Mile Meat Shops are new dimension, especially with the youths involvement in the process, and hope the project will receive full acceptance by Lagos residents.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of Butchers Association, Alhaji Kazeem Bakare, thanked the Lagos State Government for initiating the project, describing it as innovation to his members.
He said that the nature and value of cows slaughtered now are different from those in the past years.
According to him, the Butchers Association will embrace the new idea for safe handling of cow meat in the state, promising that it will bring back some of the members who have left the job for ‘Okada’ (commercial motorcycle) and ‘Marwa’ (commercial tricycle).
Alhaji Kazeem Bakare urged other states in the country, to embrace the innovation in order to restore sanity in the handling of meat among their residents.
The Managing Director of Palilar Pal Meat International, Apostle Olawale Talabi, appreciated the Governor for the initiative, adding that the vision of the commissioner is coming to fruition.
He believes that the measure will guarantee high hygienic standard for the sale of meat to consumers in the state, and allow the butchers to earn more money.
Apostle Talabi further said that there is a huge market for cow meat in Lagos, noting that over 2,500 were slaughtered on a daily basis.
He disclosed that plans are underway to have the Meat Shops across the metropolis.
The Last Mile Meat Shops are located in Ijeh area of Dolphin Estate, Surulere and Mushin.
