State to outlaw slaughtering of animals around homes

Going by the provision of a proposed law before the Lagos State House of Assembly, slaughtering of animals in homes and residential areas may soon be illegal and punishable under the law.

The prohibition, contained in a Bill guiding production and distribution of processed meat, is in line with the provision that animals shall only be slaughtered in designated abattoirs in the state.

In a related development, the House also moved a motion calling on the state executive to start enforcing stiffer sanctions on residents that are fond of crisscrossing expressways in disregard of pedestrian bridges.

Contents of the proposed law, titled: A Bill for A Law to Provide for the Establishment of Lagos State Meat Regulatory Authority and for Connected Purposes, was disclosed to the public at a stakeholders meeting held at the Assembly Complex in Alausa.

Section 21 (1) of the bill states, “It shall be unlawful for anyone to slaughter any animal which is intended for human consumption or dress the carcass of such animal in any place other than in an approved abattoir.

“Anyone who contravenes any provision of the proposed law shall be guilty of an offense and liable to a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) or six months imprisonment on conviction,” a part of the bill reads.

State Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Gbolahan Lawal said the proposed law would make it mandatory for all meat to be slaughtered at approved abattoirs to ensure safe consumption, adding that the Agriculture Commissioner would always release a statement during festive periods to allow people slaughter animals at homes.

Lawal sai: “A lot of people travel abroad and see how they do it there. It is just a Bill, so it is left for the House of Assembly to decide on what to do next.”

He added that the agency that would be established to regulate the abattoirs through the bill does not have to be headed by a veterinary doctor since what matters is for the person to be an administrator.

According to him, the Bill, if it sees the light of the day, would also enhance the productivity of butchers and animal merchants.

House Committee Chairman on Agriculture, Co-operatives and Rural Development, Olanrewaju Layode also said that all animals should be slaughtered at approved abattoirs and that the Bill would cater for the production of quality animals.

“We will give certificates for all animals that would be slaughtered. We will control all our borders and our veterinary doctors are expected to control all the animals that come into the state,” he said.

On defiance to pedestrian bridges on Lagos highways, Lawmaker representing Somolu II Constituency, Rotimi Olowo, during Matter of Urgent Public Importance, alerted his colleagues on the prevalent incidence of knock down on major roads.

Olowo reminded his colleague that sometimes ago, the governor was briefed on the need to have a pedestrian bridge around 7up via Ojota area and this request was expeditiously granted.

He added that, despite the huge amount committed by the State government to provide this infrastructure around the area, a lot of people still defy the use of the pedestrian bridge provided by the government.

The lawmaker, therefore, urged the Assembly not only to re-enforce strict compliance on the use of the pedestrian bridge by the relevant agencies but also for the ministry of information to embark on public enlightenment campaign to re-orient the populace on the safety of using the bridges.

Olowo also added that punitive measures, which may not be fines, could also include an hour delay for offenders and community services.
Segun Olulade and Suuru Avoseh, in their contributions said there was need to appeal to the pedestrians on the need and importance of using the bridge as well as to call on the enforcement agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.