The Lagos
State Government yesterday shut down and dislodged the cow skin (popularly
known as ponmo) processing section of the Oko-Oba abattoir and Lairage
Complex
in Agege.
This is
contained in a statement signed by Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Asst. Director,
Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, and made available to the
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
According to
the statement, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Toyin Suarau, led a
team from the ministry in the company of men from the Lagos State Task Force to
shut down the cow skin section of the abattoir.
Suarau said
“closure of the ponmo section and dislodgment of the processors became
necessary because of the health hazards inherent in the unhealthy processing of
ponmo. “The ponmo processors use heaps of burning tyres, thereby, emitting
thick toxic smoke into the air endangering residents of the adjoining neighbourhood.
“This bonfire
emits a thick toxic smoke which spreads from within the complex to adjoining
neighbourhoods, endangering the lives including those of the processors
themselves.’’
“I wish to
make it clear that the use of tyres for cow skin processing was reported to the
State government sometime ago and was dealt with.
“The return to
this unhygienic method of processing in the complex leaves much to be desired
and this is why the state government has closed the ponmo section of the
complex,” he said. He noted that the health effects of burning tyres alone were
enormous let alone using them to process human food.
Suarau said
that the state government would not condone any act of illegality and harmful
health practices in any of the abattoirs in the State.
“To this end,
the state government has deployed a number of veterinary officers, animal
workers to abattoirs to ensure that set standard for animal slaughtering and
processing are adhere to.
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