Lagos shuts Oko Oba abattoir for dumping animal waste into public drains
The Lagos State Government on Thursday shut down the Oko Oba Abbatoir over unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement and unhygenic handling of animal products.The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, shut the facility after an extensive inspection tour with the media to Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege.
He explained that the Ministry received a petition from the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene as regards various Environmental and health infractions going on at the abattoir.
He said, “What we witnessed at the abattoir today is heart wrenching; the operators have defied and chosen to take laws into their own hands as they slaughter animals and discharge the Waste into public drainage system with impunity; this is unacceptable.”
He noted that the operators discharge all animal wastes into the public drainage channels leading to the “Harmony” part of the Abattoir while also discharging animal wastes into another company named Forth- Walt Farm on Wasiu Olaife Street.
He said, “The State Government will not condone any act of uncleanliness and environmental degradation in the abbatoir and neighbouring environment.”
He maintained that there are 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 into public drains.
“The state government will take drastic and firm decisions to correct this attitude and make sure these operators abide by the law.
“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 insisted that all abattoir operators must adhere strictly to the minimum benchmark of the state saying operators can not chose to defy and or choose their own laws by blackmailing people as if that is the right way of life.
A statement by Kunle Adeshina, the Director Public Affairs of the ministry said the enforcement operation at the Oko Oba abattoir would be a joint operation involving the Environment Ministry, Agriculture, LASEPA, LASWMO and LAWMA.
The commissioner lamented that it was unfortunate that people did not like seeing the carrot until the big stick was wielded, affirming 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 serve as reinforcement to the Canal.
The commissioner said the lining of the canal hadjust 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.
The Commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Office of Drainage Services Mahamood Adegbite; MD LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; KAI Corps MARSHAL, Major Olatunbosun Cole (retd.) LASWMO GM, Adefemi Afolabi and other directors from the Ministry and its agencies.
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