Aggrieved butchers reject upward adjustment of slaughter fees, threaten street protest

The aggrieved butchers at the Wenchi abattoir in the Bono Region have vehemently rejected the upward adjustment of slaughter fees due to the worsened unsanitary conditions at the Wenchi slaughterhouse.

The visibly angry butchers insisted that they would not pay the increased fees from GH¢5 to GH¢20 for cattle slaughter until the Wenchi Municipal Assembly improved the facility.

They also threatened a street protest to express their displeasure over the new fees and the deplorable condition of the abattoir.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the slaughterhouse in Boadan, in the Wenchi municipality, the butchers said they had repeatedly appealed to the Municipal Assembly to improve the abattoir, but their pleas seemed to be ignored.

The unsanitary conditions at the slaughterhouse could lead to the outbreak of infections and communicable diseases if immediate action is not taken.

During a visit, the GNA observed that the butchers were slaughtering and dressing animals on the floor in unhygienic conditions.

In 2021, the GNA reported on the poor state of the abattoir, but the situation had worsened, with the facility looking unacceptable and unhygienic.

The drainage system around the facility remained poor, with the only manhole for liquid waste full of debris.

Alhaji Seidu Mamudu, the Wenchi Municipal Chief Butcher, stated that despite engaging with the assembly, no improvements had been made to the abattoir.

When contacted, Mr. Simon Gameli Kusorgbor, the Wenchi Municipal Veterinary Officer, expressed concern over the situation, noting that the poor state of the abattoir made it difficult to collect revenue from the butchers.

He explained that the adjustment in slaughter fees was mandated by parliament and emphasized the urgent need for the Assembly to address the facility's condition.

Efforts to reach Mr. Alexander Obour Damoah, the Wenchi Municipal Chief Executive, were unsuccessful.

However, Mr. Akadieti Ayambire, the Wenchi Municipal Coordinating Director, expressed concern about the lack of funding to rehabilitate the facility after meeting with the butchers.