Most Nigeria’s abattoirs unhygienic – expert

Executive secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Professor Garba Sharubutu, has decried the unhygienic situation of most Nigeria’s abattoirs.

He said most of abattoirs were not in compliance with international standard, urging stakeholders in the agricultural sector to explore advantages of production of wholesome meat which according to him remained one of untapped potentials.

He stated this in a keynote address, titled, “Untapped potentials in the Nigerian Livestock sector: Prospects for young Vets”, delivered at the second induction and oath taking ceremony of veterinary graduates of University of Ilorin Wednesday.

He said that young veterinary doctors are capable of improving value and quality in the age long business.

Represented by a professor in the council, Mohammed Salihu, Sharubutu listed other untapped potentials in livestock business to include goat breeding, fishery, swine and dog breeding, biogas production, laboratory animal production and pasture production, among others.

He added that goat breeding has better opportunity and faster economic conversion rate.

Also speaking, the Kwara state deputy governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi, tasked veterinary doctors to play critical roles in ensuring that animals are healthy and safe for human consumption for the country to purge itself of Zoonotic diseases and other diseases like Tuberculosis.

The deputy governor explained, “Livestock industry is filled with a lot opportunities and takes a pre-eminent place in achieving food security

The vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, charged the graduates to be exemplary in their conduct and commended the vision of the founding fathers of the faculty.

The vice chancellor, who also congratulated the graduates charged them to go out and make the university and their parents proud by making a difference in the profession by protecting the lives and dignity of animals.

Admitting the new 16 graduates into the profession, the acting Registrar of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Dr. Josiah Kantiyok, represented by Dr. John Garuba, explained that the essence of the induction is to place new doctors under obligation and record their names into register of all Medical Veterinary practitioners in Nigeria.

The dean of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University, Professor Suleiman Salami, appreciated the founding father and the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdulganiy Ambali, for laying a solid foundation that is producing veterinary doctors who can compete favourably with their colleagues nationally and internationally.

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