The Lagos State government has shut down Oko Oba Abattoir in Agege area, over unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement and unhygienic handling of animal products.
This directive was given on Thursday by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, after an extensive inspection tour with the media to the Abattoir at Oko-Oba in Agege.
The commissioner said the action a petition from the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene as regards various environmental and health infractions going on at the abattoir.
According to him, what was witnessed at the abattoir today during the tour was heart-wrenching.
He said the operators had defied and chosen to take laws into their hands as they slaughter animals and discharge the waste into public drainage system with impunity.
“This is totally unacceptable,” he declared.
He said upon the visitation to the Abattoir, it was observed that the operators discharged all animal wastes into the public drainage channels leading to the “Harmony” part of the Abattoir whilst also discharging their animal wastes into another company named Forth- Walt Farm on Wasiu Olaife Street.
He said the state government would not condone any act of uncleanliness and environmental degradation in the abattoir and neighbouring environment.
He maintained that there were environmental laws guiding abattoir operations in the state, adding that waste water and blood generated from meat processing should be adequately passed through the treatment plant and not to be discharged in the public drains.
“The state government will take drastic and firm decisions to correct this attitude and make sure these operators abide by the law.”
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“Until they fully comply with the provisions of the law, this will not be a one off. We will come back. If nothing is done right now about the present state of the abattoir it is only a catastrophe waiting to happen.” he said.
He warned that all abattoir operators must adhere strictly to the minimum benchmark of the state saying operators could not choose to defy or choose their own laws by blackmailing people as if that was the right way of life.
He said the enforcement operation at the Abattoir at Oko-Oba will be a joint operation involving the Environment Ministry, Agriculture, LASEPA, LASWMO and LAWMA.
He stated that it was quite unfortunate that people did not like seeing the carrot until the big stick was wielded.
He affirmed that the government would maintain its stand.
The Commissioner also visited Adetola Canal by Johathan Coker Street in Iju where some bad elements had vandalised the iron rod that serves as reinforcement to the canal.
He said incidentally the lining of the canal had just been awarded in order to effectively discharge into Oko-Oba canal.
“We have compelled the CDAs of this community to take ownership and protect the infrastructure because government cannot provide and also police the infrastructure. This situation tells you how bad the intentions of some persons are,” he said.
He advised residents to always pay for the services provided by PSP waste operators and desist from patronizing the cart pushers and illegal waste disposal means.
He said state government had continued to prosecute all those caught disposing waste indiscriminately in the past few weeks, adding that government would continue to do so in accordance with the law.
Places visited include Oko-Oba Abattoir, Agege; Adetola Canal by Jonathan Coker Street Fagba, Iju in Ifako Ijaiye local government area .
The commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; MD LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; KAI Corps MARSHAL, Major Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd)
LASWMO GM, Engr Adefemi Afolabi and other directors from the ministry and its agencies.
