Sunyani residents fear epidemic at abattoir

The Sunyani abattoir is currently operating under unhygienic and sub-standard conditions due to the lack many amenities needed for a good sanitary service.

The situation is so deplorable that many residents have expressed the fear that the municipality might soon be engulfed in an epidemic.

The abattoir lacks separate standard confinement required for roosting cows, goats and sheep before finally prepared for sale to the public.

The roosting is therefore carried out in the open and on pieces of pieces of timber.

When GNA visited the place to ascertain the conditions under which meat was produced, parts of slaughtered animals were seen littered in the area.

The situation at the abattoir is so appalling, with flies and scavengers hovering around for pieces of meat.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, Mr Nuamah Hayford, Veterinary Officer In-Charge, expressed his regret that in spite of several requests to the Municipal Assembly, who run the facility, nothing concrete had been done.

He said a tanker, which was supposed to empty the septic tank forth nightly, which contained waste blood and other materials from the slaughtered animals, rarely visited the place.

Mr. Hayford expressed his regret that no consultation was made with stakeholders and other decentralized departments regarding the construction of the new slaughter at New Dormaa, a suburb of Sunyani.

"There is no way I can allow an anthrax carcass or an animal with tuberculosis in. I was trained in Botswana and we have the expertise and the required experience to manage the place.

The current abattoir would be used as a meat shop when the new one is opened", he stated.

Mr Micheal Peprah, Environmental Officer In-Charge, dismissed the view that activities were carried under unhygienic conditions since they inspected and monitored every process.

When reached, Mr. Simon Opoku, Sunyani District Environmental Officer, admitted that all the problems confronting the abattoirs saying that, it was a nation-wide problem.

"The Assembly has only one vehicle involved in dislodging waste liquid in the whole municipality and it's very expensive, so we have to manage it", he said.

Asked why no consultation was made with stakeholders concerning the construction of the new abattoir, he said he couldn't comment on it since he assumed duty only this year.