The Kano government has spent N1.6 billion on upgrading slaughterhouses in 20 local government areas.

The project was executed through the State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) in collaboration with development partners: Islamic Development Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Qatar Foundation, the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development.

The KSADP infrastructure engineer, Zahraddeen Zarewa, disclosed this to journalists at one of the completed slaughterhouses at Kura in the Kura LGA.

Mr Zarewa said other local governments where the facilities were sited included Rano, Doguwa, Shanono, Bebeji, Dawakin Tofa, Tudun Wada, and Bichi.

He said the decision to upgrade the slaughterhouses was informed by the unhygienic condition under which meat was being processed for human consumption in the benefitting areas.

“It is so sad that when you visit any of our abattoirs within Kano or in the local governments, you will hate to even eat meat because of the way it was being processed and handled.

“That is why the Kano state government decided to upgrade or create new abattoirs in the local government areas,” Mr Zarewa explained.

The infrastructure engineer said each slaughterhouse had four slabs, solar-powered boreholes and hangers.

They were provided with solar fans, a cooler room, two industrial freezers, an animal dung drier and the office of the ‘Sarkin Fawa’ (chief butcher).

He said the slaughterhouses had been handed over to the chief butchers and their teams to operate and maintain them.

The chief butcher of Kura LGA, Ubale Kura, stated that the facility would enhance their business.

However, Mr Kura urged KSADP to provide drainage around the building to facilitate wastewater outflow.

(NAN)