Trans-Amadi slaughter may be shut down
By Chimex Ndubuisi
The Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Kingsley Chinda has vowed to shut down the Trans-Amadi slaughter if healthy environment of the place does not improve by Thursday next week.
The commissioner stated this last Thursday during the weekly sanitation exercise for traders and Motor Park operators in the State.
Speaking on behalf of the commissioner who led other staff of the ministry and health officers to monitor the exercise, the Deputy Director, Environmental Health, Mr. Felix Filima frowned at the level of unhealthy environment at the slaughter and directed the chairman to improve or would face the wrath of the government.
According to Filima “there is no way you can do business in a dirty environment and expect people to come and buy it. The meat you people kill and sell is for human consumption and it will not be good for you to spend all your money buying medicine when you know that you can keep this place clean. Government will not hesitate to close this slaughter indefinitely if this continues and you cannot stop government from doing that”, he said.
The Deputy Director pleaded with the traders and butchers to support the chairman of the Trans-Amadi slaughter and his exco for them to achieve their aims, warning those who shy away from the exercise to have a change of heart as the State government would not fold its arms and watch them indulging in their sells.
He also directed all loud speakers mounted outside the mosque be removed, saying that it is against the wish of the State government as the government would take actions if it remains there as it has told the authority to remove it some weeks back.
Speaking on behalf of the butchers, the chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Mausendu thanked the State government for finding time to visit them, saying that it was the first time the team has visited them.
He assured the team that they would improve on the exercise as it was for their own good and warned that henceforth, anyone who does not participate in the exercise would be punished accordingly.
Alhaji Mausendu said Obio/Akpor council has promised to assist them to put a good slab where they will be killing their cows from March 15 2010 and promised to abide by the policies of the State government.
Mr. Felix Filima team also visited Ogbunabli where he also directed the chairman to remove the loud speaker and cautioned those doing business before 10, o'clock, saying that the government would not tolerate such an act again and asked them to participate in the exercise which is scheduled to commence by 7am-10.
He also visited the Marine Base where he directed the chairman of Marine Base Timber Market, Mr. Tamunokuri James to send the name of the traders who fail to participate in the exercise to the Ministry if he cannot handle that and the challenges they are facing.
He thanked those who participated in the exercise and made them to understand that it was for their won interest and urged them to keep the tempo and told them to bear with the government as it would be reviewed whether it would be bi-weekly or weekly.
It would be recalled that the State government recently closed down Eliozu slaughter for unhealthy environment.
