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The Kaduna State Government has moved to privatize the state abattoirs and make it conform with Islamic standard.
The government is also sending seven butchers on study tour in Saudi Arabia.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Manzo Maigari, who disclosed this to newsmen on Monday stated that the privatisation of the abattoirs would commence after full consultations with all stakeholders.
His words: “As you are aware, the governor has approved study trips to Saudi Arabia for seven leaders of the butchers association state-wide”.
“They will go and see how meat slaughtering is mechanised and handled in an Islamic setting”.
“We want meat to be handled in a more Islamic way in the state,’’ the commissioner said”.
According to him, when the seven butchers being sent abroad return, they will be consulted on the direction of the privatisation agenda, based on what they have seen and learnt in Saudi Arabia.
“We will encourage them to see if they can take over management of the abattoirs themselves, so that government will be left with the responsibility of regulation only.’’
Maigari said it was hoped that the study tour would be a pilot project that would open up the sector to private investors, create empowerment and generate employment in the state.
“We will standardise our meat to the global best practice standard,’’ he assured.
The commissioner noted that the standard of hygiene at the abattoirs presently was poor, and needed to be upgraded.
He said the state government had already established an interim state meat compliance committee to ensure that meat is handled in a hygienic manner at the abbatoirs.