Gombe State Gombe Government under LIvestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) is set to embark on renovation of Gombe, Kumo and Bajoga abattoirs as part its commitments to revitalise the livestock sector in the state.

This was according to a press release made available to newsmen by the project’s Communication Officer Umar Baba Kumo.

The statement said “The Project Coordinator, Professor Usman Bello Abubakar made this this known when he received officials of Gombe State Butchers Multi-Purpose Cooperatives Apex Ltd. who paid him a courtesy call at the project office.

The Project Coordinator who said he was overwhelmed with joy over the visit, commended the butchers union for coming under one platform to articulate their demands and support to the project, describing butchers as major players in the livestock sector who will be targeted and supported considering their numerous contributions towards meat production and marketing.

Professor Abubakar who commended the State Governor for the laudable initiative of bringing such a project to the state said, ‘’The coming of the L-PRES project was a deliberate effort by his Excellency Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to reposition the livestock sector in the state that has faced neglect for decades’’.

He said the sector would soon witness massive transformation and modernisation as arrangements have been finalised to also build an ultra-modern abattoir and cattle market that would serve as a regional hub of livestock business activities and its value chain in the north east subregion’’.

He decried the tedious transportation of cattle and other animals over long distances by road to other parts of the country which he described as risky and unprofitable. He hinted that modern technology will be introduce into the sector where livestock will be slaughtered and packaged for delivery in cold chain vehicles to different parts of the country and beyond while butchers and cattle marketers will remain at the comfort of their homes to receive their payment with high profit margins.

He then charged the union leaders to ensure high standard of sanitation and discipline in their professional conduct and further challenged them to emphasise supervision and monitoring in all the processes of meat processing and marketing.

The Project Coordinator explained that, the ultimate goal of the State Government for the initiative in the sector is to support livestock farmers especially butchers to expand their businesses and create jobs and employment opportunities for women and youth in the state considering the numerous value chain businesses embedded in the sector.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Gombe State Butchers Association and Multi-Purpose Cooperatives Alhaji Yusuf Dan-Araga expressed delight for the warm reception accorded to them by the L-PRES Project team under the leadership Professor Abubakar whom he said has given the association a ray of hope.

Alhaji Yusuf Dan-Araga commended the state governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for coming up with such an important project that will impact on the lives of many people in the state and pledged to render all support needed to ensure its success.

In his remarks, the Head of Planning Research and Statistics Cooperatives Directorate, Gombe State Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives Mallam Sani Musa who is also saddled with the role of supervision and monitoring of the Association activities said, the association has been consistent in promoting compliance and requested the L-PRES Project to use the existing structure of the association in reaching them for any intervention.

He said with the existing structure, the association will develop the capacity of its members to promote ethical standards, enforce compliance and provide guidance towards the sustainability of the project when it eventually winds up.