CONVERSION OF CATTLE ABATTOIR TO DONKEY ABATTOIR, DDPA RESIDENTS TAKES CASE TO UDUAGHAN

CONVERSION OF CATTLE
ABATTOIR TO DONKEY ABATTOIR, DDPA RESIDENTS TAKES CASE TO UDUAGHAN
Residents of
Delta State Government Reserved Area, also known as (DDPA) and state
Low Cost Housing Estate, in Orogodo, Agbor, have recently written to
the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, over the conversion
of the Ika South Local Government Council owned cattle abattoir to a
donkey abattoir by the operators of G. Adams Cattle Market, who the
cattle abattoir was leased to sometime ago by the council Contained
in the letter sent to Governor Uduaghan and signed by chairman of
residents in the estate, Mr. S.I. Uwakina, secretary, Mr. C.A.
Okoduwa, Abdulaziz Amori, Ignatius Egema and Nkwa Smart, were the
prayers seeking the governor to use his executive power to stop the
donkey dealers who have already started work on the abattoir.

According to
the residents, “sometimes in the month of August, 2012, we heard
information that Ika South local government council has leased Ika
South public abattoir to one serving Nigeria police officer under a
lease for the purpose of a cattle market and abattoir. We the
landlords immediately confronted the local government authorities
protesting this anomalies.”

They said with
dismay that a group of donkey abattoir operators from Banco Beach, in
Agbor, have converted the G. Adams Cattle Market and Abattoir,
located on plot 46 behind Delta State Fire Service, sharing boundary
with the state Low Cost Housing Estate, Agbor, to a centre for
marketing, slaughtering and keeping live, dead and already decaying
donkeys.

“It is
very sad and disappointing that his wicked act was carried out at the
time the protracted issue of illegal operation of donkey abattoir
business in the estate and its environ was laid to rest with the
intervention of Delta State government,” they complained.

The residents
further stated that since the donkey abattoir operators came with a
trailer load of live, dead and already decaying donkeys into G. Adams
Cattle Market and abattoir, many of them including people from
outside have been condemning the plan to bring back the donkey
market.
They said,
“we would want to say on a serious note that illegal suppression of
peoples wish or the denial of their legitimate right for any reason
is usually dangerous. This is why we are writing to Governor Uduaghan
so that he will use his good office to stop the conversion of the
place designated for cattle market to donkey abattoir.

It is
unfortunate and shameful that a local government which is suppose to
protect lives and properties of citizens has chosen to break the law
and expose it citizens to health hazards/danger in absolute disregard
to government directives. The Low Cost Housing Estate and its
environs should not be used for abattoir but purely residential
purpose.”
The DDPA Low
Cost Housing Estate residents however vowed that they will physically
and legally resist what they call the illegal conversion of the Ika
south local government abattoir if the approval for the slaughtering
of donkeys in a public abattoir is not immediately revoked or
arrested

“We must
state here and now that Ika South Abattoir cannot be used for the
slaughtering of Donkey being a public abattoir. Ika nation forbids
Jacki and frowned against it being slaughtered in a government
abattoir. We do not intend to frustrate the donkey business but it
should be operated outside the DDPA or Low Cost Housing Estate, and
its environs as it is highly prohibited by government,” they
stated.

They however
demanded that all the Ika south local government officers who
conspired with the operators of G. Adams Cattle Market and Abattoir
and gave approval for the slaughtering of donkeys in a public
abattoir be brought to book for having compromised their official
positions. They also demanded that the said premise/illegal donkey
abattoir on plot 46 behind Delta State Fire Service be immediately
sealed up and that the serving police officer be advised to face his
duty as a police officer and undertake on lawful businesses outside
the public or continue with his cattle business if he so chooses.