News
Benin City’s Slaughterhouses of Neglect, Filth, And Health Hazards
By Osehobo Ofure
There are many slaughterhouses, or abattoirs, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, where animals are slaughtered daily for meat meant for public consumption. Some of these abattoirs are owned and operated by local governments, while others are privately managed.
One of the main government abattoirs, located near the swamps of the Ikpoba River, is over 65 years old.
At the abattoir, cows are slaughtered on bare floors, while butchers work without protective gear. With the borehole long out of service, they rely on water from a nearby house to wash animal parts, which often ends up mingling with stagnant pools of blood and dung infested with maggots just a few feet from the slaughter scene.
Waste from the slaughtered animals and their entrails are dumped in heaps nearby, occasionally collected by farmers as manure. The cold room installed decades ago is locked up and remains nonfunctional due to a lack of electricity.
According to Comrade Sunny Omokaro, National President of the National Butchers Employers Union of Nigeria, the abattoir generates about ₦1,000 per slaughtered cow daily for the local government council.
Despite this steady revenue, the facility remains in a state of decay, with the council making no effort to maintain it.
“We have made several representations to the council on this matter without any response beyond empty promises. It is a very pathetic situation,” Omokaro lamented.
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Bright Omokaro, a butcher with over three decades of experience, explains the process: “Once the cow is brought in, a Muslim is present alongside a veterinary doctor who inspects and approves the cow for slaughter. The Muslim offers prayers and slaughters the cow, after which the veterinary doctor inspects it again before it is butchered.”
On what happens if an animal is declared sick or pregnant, he said, “If it’s sick, we kill and bury it. We even pour chemicals over it to ensure no one exhumes it to sell to unsuspecting members of the public.”
Kingsley Balogun, Secretary of the Butchers, emphasized the critical role of veterinary doctors.
“Without them, meat cannot be slaughtered or sold for public consumption,” he said.
He recounted an incident where a woman complained about meat swelling in her pot.
“When she told us, we asked where she bought it. She admitted it was from the roadside. We told her we couldn’t help because it wasn’t from us. Meat from licensed abattoirs is 90% safe. People should shun roadside meat and illegal abattoirs.”
An official of the Edo State Ministry of Agriculture, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that local governments have health inspectors trained to approve animal products from slaughterhouses for public consumption.
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Comrade Omokaro, who recently toured slaughterhouses in the South-South geopolitical zone, decried the state of these facilities. “I discovered that, except perhaps in Rivers State where the government intervened, there is nothing to write home about. Nationwide, the state of slaughterhouses is appalling. The environment is unhygienic and unfit for what goes on there. A lot of Nigerians would stop eating meat if they saw these places.”
He also criticized local governments in Edo State for arbitrarily issuing licenses to unqualified individuals to operate abattoirs.
“Butchery is a profession. I was under my uncle’s tutelage for seven years, underwent medical tests, and only then was I issued a butcher’s license. These days, it’s not the case. Local governments must assess facilities before licensing them. In Edo, less than 20% of private abattoirs are fit for purpose.”
Omokaro warned about the acute shortage of veterinary doctors. “By law, every animal must be inspected before and after slaughter. But in Edo State, over 70% of animals are not inspected at all because we have only eight veterinary doctors—four in the field and four in the office. This is dangerous. If there were an epidemic today from meat consumption, it would be impossible to trace its source.”
“In the past, veterinary doctors were stationed at abattoirs, waiting to inspect animals before butchering. Ideally, each abattoir should have a resident veterinary doctor. Government must act fast before it’s too late.”
News
NMA Gives FG 21 Days To Avert Doctors’ Strike
The Nigerian Medical Association has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its demands to avert industrial action in the health sector.
The association, in a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, expressed disappointment and condemned the circular on the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.
A copy of the speech of the NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, made available to our correspondent, noted that the association rejected the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s circular (SWC/5/04/5.218/III/646), dated June 27, 2025, on the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the Federal Public Service.
Prof Audu said the circular from the NSIWC violated previous Collective Bargaining Agreements with the government, adding that the recent development had worsened already existing tension among doctors who had remained committed to serving in Nigeria despite ongoing challenges.
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“The Nigerian Medical Association expresses grave disappointment and unequivocally condemns the circular purportedly issued to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.
“The circular is grossly inadequate, misleading and constitutes a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the agreements painstakingly reached during the collective bargaining process between the NMA and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We want to bring this to the attention of Mr President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the National Assembly and the general public whom we are under oath to always protect and promote their well-being.
“We reject this new circular in its entirety and demand a new circular that reflects previous agreements reached,” Audu said.
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He stressed that the principles of fairness and justice must guide the adjustment of allowances as previously agreed.
He further noted that while the association had submitted the correct salary structure table as requested by the relevant government bodies, it was disappointed to find it was disregarded.
“Our demands include but are not limited to the immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service dated 27th June 2025; immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs; immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and Consolidated Health Salary Structure and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs.
“The immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears of 25/35 per cent CONMESS, clinical duty and accoutrement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners; the immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, and review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities; the immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations on CONMESS; the immediate release of the circular on clinical duty and other allowances for honorary consultants as agreed in January 2024.”
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The association also demanded the implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants; approval of specialist allowances for all doctors; approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors; and adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances; compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowances; implementation of subsisting CONMESS circular of 2024 for house officers; and universal application of the CONMESS across all federal and state Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to combat internal brain drain.
The doctors also demanded the immediate reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants in hospitals, citing patient safety and the need to maintain medical care standards.
The NMA President stressed that the association had consistently engaged in dialogue with relevant government agencies and the Federal Ministry of Health in good faith, and remained committed to continued dialogue as long as their rightful entitlements were appropriately addressed.
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“As a responsible and responsive association that understands and respects values, we have painstakingly and repeatedly engaged in dialogue with the relevant agencies of government and the Federal Ministry of Health.
“We have exhibited so much goodwill and intend to continue the same as long as we get our appropriate and timely dues.
“We hereby expect that attention will be given to our demands within the next 21 days to avert disruption in the health services rendered to the Nigerian people,” he concluded.
News
Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro
The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.
This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.
Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.
“This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.
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He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.
“We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.
According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.
He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.
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Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.
He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.
“Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.
News
Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks
The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.
In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.
“The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.
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“The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.
The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.
TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.
The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.
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