“Nasarawa State Government Gives Akwanga Abattoir One-Month Ultimatum Over Poor Sanitation”

The Nasarawa State Government has warned the management of the abattoir in Akwanga Local Government Area to urgently improve its sanitary conditions or risk closure within one month.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Margaret Elayo, issued the warning on Saturday after the September sanitation exercise in Akwanga. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Hussaini Babayayi, Elayo said the facility’s unhygienic practices pose a serious health risk to residents who rely on it for their daily meat supply.

She stressed the importance of strict compliance with sanitation laws, adding that the ministry will monitor the abattoir until the end of October to ensure proper hygiene and adherence to regulations.

“If nothing changes between now and next month, the abattoir will be shut down,” Elayo warned.

On the sanitation exercise, the commissioner decried the poor compliance of residents, particularly commercial motorcyclists and vehicle owners who ignored sanitation hours, warning of tougher enforcement in the coming months.

The Deputy Chairman of Akwanga LGA, Basau Ibrahim-Shaibu, admitted to lapses in compliance within the towns, noting that the local government had shifted focus to rural communities. He disclosed that work had already commenced on a modern abattoir at the outskirts of Akwanga, but assured that immediate steps would be taken to improve cleanliness at the existing facility.

This development follows a similar warning issued by the state government on August 30 over poor sanitary conditions at the Lafia Modern Abattoir.