FCT Veterinary Services Introduces Biogas, Flaying Machines At Abattoirs  

The Federal Capital Territory  Veterinary Services is set to introduce biogas and flaying machines for use at abattoirs in the territory.

This was revealed by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Regina Adulugba, in an interview with THE WHISTLER.

She said two biogas stations are being built in the city in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, adding they would be commissioned soon.

She said one of the biogas stations has already been built in Gwagwalada Area Council, while plans were on ground to build another one in Karu abattoir.

According to her,  abattoir workers in the FCT  will soon start using flaying machines instead of the old method of using car tyres for singeing.

Dr Adulugba made the disclosures while responding to questions about the health hazards caused by burning of tyres for singeing of animals.

Recall that THE WHISTLER had reported how some abattoir workers were dying as a result of the method they use in singeing animals meant for consumption.

Dr Tsav Nensha Seth, a Radiologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, who spoke to THE WHISTLER, had pointed out several health hazards the abattoir workers were facing, and the dangers of consuming meat from the abattoirs.

The health expert  explained the scrap tyres contain iron, zinc, copper and cadmium which are heavy metals which when consumed can affect the function of almost every organ in the body, from the liver to the kidneys.

Dr Seth had recommended that the government put proper measures in place to ensure the safety of the abattoir workers, as well as the consumption of healthy meats.

Reacting to this, Dr Adulugba, whose office is in charge of abattoirs within the FCT, said: “They are using tyres that’s why the smoke is like this. If they use gas to flay the skin, the smoke will not be like this. So we decided that we should build biogas stations.

“The Federal Ministry of Environment built a biogas station for us in Gwagwalada and is ready to be commissioned.

“And on our part, we bought all the flaying machines and agreed that we need to also build another biogas in this same Karu abattoir, and I think the contract has already been awarded, so that once we have the two biogas stations ready to give them gas at subsidised rate, then we can now pass a law.”

She explained that after commissioning the abattoirs , her department would organize workshop to teach the abattoir workers how to use the flaying machines.i

The machines will also be distributed to the workers free of charge, adding that the flaying machines have already been supplied by a contractor and are in the store ready for use.

“All we are waiting for now is for the contractor to build the second biogas station because Gwagwalada is far from the other abattoir. We will then put a ban and then we commission the flaying machines.

“There’s a standing ban but one of our Permanent Secretaries said ‘if you don’t give them an alternative they will never stop all these.’ So it’s the alternative we are organising now.

“There’s enough flaying machines for every butcher, about 400 of them on ground. We have the cylinders. We are going to distribute them to every abattoir in the FCT, even slaughter houses.

“Also in the Karu abattoir, if you look you’ll see that there’s a second hall that’s being built, so we have plans on ground,” she said.

Speaking on the dirty nature of the Karu abattoir, she said the cleaning jobs had been given to a contractor.

 “It is the contractors that are not doing a good job. What I will do now is to call the attention of the cleaners and tell them that they are not doing good work.”