*The administration of Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria, transforms meat preservation, processing and marketing with the installation of modern cold-chain facilities in abattoirs, as stakeholders haul the governor for the intervention that has improved food safety and hygiene, reduced post-slaughter losses, and significantly increased their earnings
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
In a decisive move to improve food safety and hygiene, minimise trade losses, and significantly increase stakeholders’ earnings, the administration of Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria, has transformed meat preservation, processing and marketing in the metropolis through the installation of modern cold-chain facilities in abattoirs.
ConsumerConnect gathered that the Kaduna Government’s food security programme embraces all the three senatorial districts in the Northern state.
CBN revokes licences of 46 Microfinance Banks over several infractions (Full List)
Commenting on the food security initiative, the Sabon Gari Branch of the Butchers Association of Nigeria applauded Governor Sani.
The stakeholders said the intervention had improved food safety and hygiene, reduced post-slaughter losses, and significantly increased the earnings of butchers.
In regard to the features of the new food infrastructure project, the facilities are equipped with modern cold-chain infrastructure, including cold rooms, deep freezers, display refrigerators, hygienic meat shops, solar-powered boreholes and water-heating systems to ensure safe meat processing, storage and distribution, report said.
Stakeholders speak on improved sanitary conditions at abattoirs
The butchers’ association also eulogised the Kaduna State Governor for the comprehensive upgrade of the Zango Shanu Modern Abattoir in Sabon Gari Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Alkasim Mai-Nama, on behalf of the Association, recalled that the absence of storage facilities in the past forced butchers to dispose of unsold meat, resulting in substantial financial losses.
Mai-Nama related: “Before now, if meat remained unsold, we had no option but to throw it away because there was nowhere to preserve it. “Today, with the cold rooms provided by Governor Uba Sani’s administration, we can safely store meat for later sale.
“This has drastically reduced wastage, improved hygiene, and increased our daily income.”
He also disclosed that improved sanitary conditions at the abattoir have strengthened public confidence in the safety and quality of meat processed at the facility.
Speaking on the development, Jamilu Umar, Vice-Chairman of the Butchers Association of Nigeria, Sabon Gari Branch, in Kaduma State,
The Chairman described the intervention as the most comprehensive rehabilitation of the abattoir since its establishment in the early 1980s.
Umar stated: “For more than three decades, we operated under very difficult conditions.
“There were no functional drainage systems to evacuate blood, the water supply was poor, and there were no cold rooms for preservation.
“What we have today is a complete transformation that has restored dignity to our work and improved public health standards.”
Likewise, the Sarkin Fawan Badawa, Musa Abubakar, reportedly said the construction of a perimeter fence had enhanced security and protected the investments of butchers and livestock traders in his LGA.
Abubakar noted: “For over 30 years, the abattoir remained exposed to encroachment and theft because there was no fence.
“Today, our businesses are more secure, and the improved infrastructure has attracted butchers and livestock traders from neighbouring Katsina and Zamfara states, expanding commercial activities and boosting the local economy.”
Modernised abattoirs reflect Kaduna’s commitment to improved health, food safety: Commissioner, others
Earlier, in his address on the occasion, Murtala Dabo, Kaduna State Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, said the Uba Sani administration had prioritised investments across the livestock value chain to improve productivity, strengthen food security, and enhance livelihoods.
Dabo revealed that 19 pastoralist communities have been provided with pasture fields and solar-powered boreholes to reduce seasonal migration and minimise farmer-herder conflicts across the state.
He explained: “By providing grazing support and water infrastructure, we are enabling pastoralists to remain in designated settlements, boosting meat and dairy production while promoting peaceful coexistence.”
The Commissioner also noted that the Kaduna State Government constructed three modern abattoirs across Kaduna State’s three Senatorial zones—in Kawo (Kaduna North), Kafanchan (Jema’a) and Zango Shanu (Sabon Gari)—in addition to 21 slaughterhouses across the state to strengthen the livestock value chain.
The facilities, he stated, are equipped with modern cold-chain infrastructure, including cold rooms, deep freezers, display refrigerators, hygienic meat shops, solar-powered boreholes and water-heating systems to ensure safe meat processing, storage and distribution.
Dabo said the upgraded Zango Shanu Modern Abattoir reflects the Uba Sani administration’s commitment to improving public health, strengthening food safety, reducing waste, increasing incomes for stakeholders in the livestock value chain.
The food infrastructure projects are equally positioning Kaduna State as a leading hub for livestock production and meat processing in Nigeria, said the Agriculture Commissioner.