Lagos Demolishes 500 Shanties, Illegal Structures In Oko-Oba Abattoir

Over 500 shanties and illegal structures within and outside the Oko-Oba abattoir and Lairage Complex in Agege area of Lagos State were on Saturday demolished by the State Government as part of an effort to ensure adequate upgrading and transformation of the complex for improved operations.

The State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau who disclosed this while reviewing report of the demolition exercise carried out by officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, Department of State Security and Operation MESA, noted that the clean-up exercise included all shanties and illegal structures inside the abattoir and along Fagba-Railway section of the abattoir complex.

According to him, the State Government’s motive for carrying out the clean-up exercise is in a bid to improve the hygienic condition of the complex and ensure best practices in the red meat value chain and not to witch-hunt anyone.

“I want us all to see this exercise as a positive development in the red meat value chain and not as Government’s instrument to disrupt activities at the complex. Rehabilitation of the facilities at the Oko-oba abattoir is to ensure that operations at the complex meet the international standard”, Suarau said.

While restating the State Government’s commitment to ensuring best practices in the red meat value chain, he stressed that the clean-up exercise and the completion of various projects within the complex will be of great benefits to stakeholders in the complex and to Lagosians, adding that this will ensure wholesomeness in production, processing, and consumption of meat in the red meat value chain..

“We have completed the fencing of the abattoir and the heap of refuse which has existed for several years has been cleared”, the Commissioner added.

He said that apart from an upgrade of facilities and infrastructure of abattoirs and slaughter slabs, the State government has also trained butchers and live cattle dealers drawn from various abattoirs and slaughter slabs in the State on current trends in abattoir management.