The Kwara State Government has trained more than 100 individuals, including butchers, animal health officers, and other key stakeholders on handling hygienic meat and animal waste.
The initiative is part of efforts to boost public health and improve productivity across the State’s livestock value chain.
The five-day training, organised by the Kwara State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), was held at E-Phoenix Hotel, Ilorin.
During the closing ceremony, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, said the participants were from butchers’ associations, veterinary and animal health officers, environmental officers, and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), among others.
According to Alhaji Yahaya, the programme was necessary to help meat handlers adopt modern and hygienic practices that protect consumers and support a healthier livestock sector.
“The State government deemed it necessary to organise the training for stakeholders in the meat production business, especially the butchers, to enlighten them on hygienic practices and caution them against unhygienic handling of meat to safeguard public health,” Yahaya said.
He thanked the State Government for providing a supportive environment for livestock growth and urged abattoir workers to prioritise food safety using proper processing methods.
State Project Coordinator for L-PRES, Mr. Olusoji Oyawoye, explained that the training aimed to promote healthier food consumption and reduce disease risks through improved hygiene.
“At the end of the training, the participants were expected to be more enlightened on safe meat handling and effective waste management in their various business places,” Oyawoye said.
Also speaking at the event, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Dere Olurotimi Abdulganiyu, praised both the L-PRES project and the State Government.
He said the programme would improve productivity and reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases.
He added that NOA plans to extend the workshop’s message to all 16 local government areas in the State for broader impact.
Representing the butchers, Mallam Oba Abolaji expressed gratitude to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for allowing them to benefit from the training, saying it would have a lasting positive impact on their businesses.
