Lagos state has announced plans to generate clean energy by converting waste to power.
This move is expected to move the city closer to achieving its mega city dream.
The state hopes to generate 24 hours electricity by converting waste to energy.
According to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Shakirudeen Olayiwole Onasanya, the state is planning to convert waste from abattoirs into electricity.
Onasanya made this known at a one day workshop on food safety in the Nigerian meat industry in Lagos.
The workshop was organised by the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) in collaboration with the Animal Science Association of Nigeria.
He explained that the new abattoirs would have biogas producing facilities which would disseminate cheap and relatively clean energy throughout the facilities.
He said this would also improve waste management at the abattoir.
He noted that managing waste was difficult but explained that the government was taking steps to improve sanitary control in slaughtering, processing and commercialisation of meat at Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege to prevent food safety risks.
He said over 6000 cattle, 10,000 sheep and goat were slaughtered daily in Lagos and that there was one approved abattoir, eight approved slaughter slabs and more than 15 illegal slaughtering slabs including slaughtering facilities located within the military barracks.
He said this had resulted in problems in food hygiene and safety.
He said: “The government is expected to suspend the operation of slaughterhouses that do not meet food safety and hygiene requirements, tighten control over veterinary and environmental hygiene and food safety in small slaughterhouses, and to strictly deal with violations as per the law.
