Minister of State For FCT, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide
The abattoir will be located in Gwagwalada and will create 1,000 jobs.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and lease agreement with a private investor, Capital Meat Processing Company Nigeria Limited for the construction of an ultra-modern Abuja Central Abattoir at Tungan Maje in Gwagwalada Area Council of the territory.
The agreement for the contract valued at N1.25billion was signed by the Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, and Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Olvadi Madayi on behalf of the FCT Administration, while the Chairman of Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Umaru Mutallab, and the Chief Executive Officer, Aliyu El-Nafatu, signed for the company.
Mrs. Akinjide, who said the abattoir would be constructed through public-private partnership management, pointed out that the project would be completed and operational within a period of 12 months.
The minister noted that the construction of the ultra-modern abattoir became imperative in order to ensure that FCT residents consumed beef prepared in hygienic environment.
“When completed, the abattoir will have the capacity of slaughtering 500 heads of cattle and 1,500 sheep and goat per day,” she said. “In the meat processing and fabrication component, about 40 tonnes of meat would be processed into about 10 number products, such as sausages, hotdogs, steaks, premium and briskets, among others.
“It is expected that when fully operational about 1,000 jobs would be created, including professionals like veterinarians, para-veterinarians, livestock officers, butchers, technicians, labourers and drivers, among others,” she said.
She said that the foreign technical partners of the private investor will transfer meat processing technology to their Nigerian partners, while the Nigerians will also be trained in the art of processing, curing, aging, fabrication, storage and packaging of meat.
The minister assured that the new abattoir would be of international standard and will meet the requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The Chairman of Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Umaru Mutallab, commended the FCT Administration for its determination and commitment to ensure a hygienic environment for meat processing in the territory.
“Our interest in establishing an ultra-modern abattoir stems from the need to ensure that the public consume hygiene food in the FCT. We assure all stakeholders of our determination to make this work,” Mr. Mutallab said.
© anu for Royal Times of Nigeria Newspaper, 2013. |
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