In Sokoto, butchers abandoned modern abattoir for the old way
It is an irony that even with an ultramodern abattoir, butchers in Sokoto State have remained stuck to the old system of slaughtering animals and transporting meat to the market.
The abattoir, which was commissioned in November 2015, was constructed by the immediate past administration of Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko for efficient meat processing and storage. However, its presence has not changed the old way and manner butchers go about their businesses in the state. Cattle and camels are still slaughtered manually while the meat is transported to the market in a crude manner on wheelbarrows, which are often exposed to all sorts of danger, instead of the meat delivery vans provided by the Sokoto State government.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, the chairman of the Sokoto State Butchers Association, Alhaji Ribah Yusuf, said they decided to continue with the old way because the modern abattoir did not fit in their manner of operation. Yusuf, who noted that in the new abattoir, it is a machine that slaughters, skins and debones an animal, said the process took a longer period to work on an animal when compared to the manual system of operation.
“We slaughter over 160 cattle and camels daily, using our old system. We usually conclude everything by midday and everyone makes his way to the market. If we use the new abattoir, it will take us the whole day and some animals will still not be slaughtered. This makes our butchers to incur heavy losses because it means they cannot sell their meat on that particular day.
“The new abattoir is slow and cannot serve our purpose. It is only suitable for advanced countries that have abundant cold storage facilities, but certainly not in Sokoto,” he explained.
On the means of transportation, the chairman said over 150 youths earned a living from using wheelbarrows to convey meat from the abattoir to the market.
“If government can take care of these youths we will have no option than to resort to using delivery vans if they are made available. The government should first find something for the youths to do and ensure that the delivery vans are very functional. If this happens we would abandon the services of the barrow boys,” he said. He recalled that during the administration of Malam Yahaya Abdulkarim, three delivery vehicles were given to the association and they made good use of them.
On the condition of meat on transit to the market, the chairman said the association had directed every wheelbarrow pusher to always cover the meat neatly and properly so that it would not be exposed to any danger.
Alhaji Yusuf called on all butchers across the state to ensure personal hygiene and cleanliness of their business premises so as to ensure healthy meat for consumers. He decried lack of government support and patronage for their association.
“The previous administrations of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and Aliyu Wamakko gave us grants, but we are yet to receive any support from the present administration,” he noted, and appealed to the state government to grant loans to members of the association and the youths to enable them do well in the business.
One of the wheelbarrow pushers, a 25-year-old Aminu Abubakar, told our correspondent that he had spent seven years in the business. “I am doing very well. From this wheelbarrow pushing, I got married, own a motorcycle and take care of my three kids,” he revealed.
According to Aminu, each trip from the abattoir to the market costs between N250 and N300. “We undertake five to six trips on a daily basis,” he explained.
He said he had no regret and is contented with the business. “There is no hazard, and I enjoy pushing the wheelbarrow during harmattan. This is because it makes me feel stronger when compared to the hot season,” he added.
Another wheelbarrow pusher who did not give his name said: “We convey a whole slaughtered cow, not part of it. There are more powerful ones among us who can convey two cattle at a time and make safe delivery of the meat.
“We move in a group of three or more, but others prefer to go individually. The road is always clear because our job starts early in the morning.”
But the manager of the Sokoto Modern Abattoir, Alhaji Buhari Aliyu, harped on the need for butchers to effectively utilise the abattoir so that it could serve the purpose it was meant for.
He said only small animals such as sheep and goats were slaughtered at the abattoir everyday, but cattle and camels are slaughtered and prepared at the old abattoir using the manual system.
He said the delivery vans, which were provided in 2014, were yet to be put into use by butchers, whom he noted, were contented with the services of wheelbarrow pushers.