Delta State chapter of the National Butchers’ Union of Nigeria Wednesday lamented that Delta state has become a dumping site for donkey meat otherwise known as “Jackie”.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustee of the butchers union, Comrade Toju Awala made this disclosure in a chat with newsmen in Pessu Market in Warri South Local Government Area.
Awala, who doubles as the Warri branch chairman of the butchers union, said most of the donkey meat come from Agbor to Warri and Udu markets as early as 4 o’clock every morning.
He lamented that their business is being hampered by persons, who deal on donkey meat, and operate private abattoirs in several parts of the state.
Awala stated that the Delta state government is not helping matters as they have written several petitions to the Ministry of Agriculture in Delta State as well as the Warri South Local Government Council to assist in developing an abandoned abbatoir in Pessu market so as to monitor what people consume.
While disclosing that the only response they got from the government is that the issue is before the Delta Assembly for debate whether “Donkey meat is fit for consumption”, Awala “called on the government to support the union in fighting those involved in the sale of donkey meat.
“Delta State has become a dumping site of Jackie. It is not supposed to be. We are advising them. They should desist from it and those who normally go to the forest and buy from their hand, it is not good for consumption.
“They should desist from it. Come to the abattoir approved by the government, public place, and buy meat.”
Awala observed that dealers do not slaughter donkeys in the government-approved abattoir in Pessu market, Warri.
According to him, “We operate in government abattoir here. As far as government abattoir is concerned, we have veterinary doctors on ground who monitor the cows before slaughtering. Even the slaughtering, they monitor it.
Those people who deal on Jackie have a private abattoir they operate in. Most Jackie come from Agbor down to Warri to Udu markets.
“My state chairman, Comrade Akusu, who lives in Agbarho,we met, we set up a task force on this issue. We got some group of people along Ughelli road by NEPA there. They have a hideout there. We had to put ourselves together to monitor,” Awala said.
