Danger is looming in the Bolgatanga Municipality as butchers at the recently constructed modern multipurpose abattoir at Yorogo have resorted to the use of unwholesome water from a nearby dam at the Yorogo community to wash meat for sale to the people of the Municipality.
A visit to the facility after several complaints of lack of water by the butchers revealed very distasteful scenes. The whole area in the abattoir was littered with blood remains, animal feases, and water mixed with blood and feases all stucked in the drains blocking the free flow of dirty water within the facility.
Some of the butchers were also seen dressing slaughtered animals and treating meat on the dirty floor without regard for the health of the final consumers of their products.
The butchers told our reporter that the facility is in that state because the assembly have failed to supply them with water for their operations for four days which is as a result of a broken electricity pole that was destroyed by a recent rainstorm that supplied electricity to the facility
The butchers complain that ” we have to go to the dam to fetch water to wash the meat because we do not have available water. The water system here is not reliable because the power supply is not able to power the machines to supply us with water even when there is water”
A leader of the butchers, Mr. Ibrahim Osman, said the lack of frequent supply of water is affecting and making their work difficult.
” We are suffering here because of the failure of the assembly to supply us water frequently. We are not able to wash our meat properly and the working environment is not hygienic. The situation is making our work very difficult “
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Bolgatanga Municipality, Hon. Rex Asanga in reaction to the development said the committee which has been set up to oversee the successful operation of the facility failed to notify the assembly on the lack of water.
” The butchers failed to inform the assembly on the issue of lack of water for their operations. There is a committee that has been set up to oversee the smooth running of the place. “
“We have however asked a water tanker to supply them with water. We hope that the NEDCo will rectify the issue of electricity as soon as possible to restore light to the place.”
A kia loaded with three polytanks of water entrerd the abattoir to supply the butchers with water after 10:am
By: Simon Agana Blessing /mywordfmonline.com.