Task force to flash out butchers operating illegally

Accra, Sept. 10,GNA- Alhaji Sofo Zakari, the National Chief Butcher, on Monday announced that a task force has been established to flash out butchers operating illegally, to avoid the sale of contaminated meat to the public.

He said members of the National Butchers Association have been asked to slaughter their animals at authorised places and to display their new identify cards when selling meat to the public. Alhaji Zakari, who was speaking in an interview with GNA, expressed worry that many members of the association were illiterate and could not appreciate rules regarding sanitation and their profession. He advocated a vigorous health education for butchers through workshops and seminars to enable them to produce wholesome meat for customers.

Alhaji Zakari cautioned any member of the group who would use burnt lorry tyres and other unhygienic methods to prepare meat for the public would be arrested and prosecuted.

He said "it is now too common to see butchers burning animals indiscriminately in many parts in the country."

Alhaji Zakari said three butchers who defied the order by the association to use firewood instead of lorry tyre to prepared slaughtered animals for sale were recently arrested, prosecuted and find GHc1,080 by the court to serve as a deterrent to others. He said the association had suggested to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to allow it to contribute towards the construction of a modern abattoir in the Accra Metropolis.

Alhaji Zakari asked the Assembly to provide the association with meat vans to ease transportation problem being faced by members.