Cattle market managers
pose to curb touting at Lagos abattoir
By IKENNA EMEWU (ikeroyal@yahoo.co.uk)
Saturday, June
18 , 2005
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•Trucking
products of cheap labour to the market
•Photo:
Sun News Publishing |
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The management of Idris Dogara Company, the managers of the
Cattle Market at the Lagos State owned abattoir, Oko Oba,
Agege has vowed not to be deterred in its resolve to curb
the activities of touts in other to avert trouble in the market.
The general manager of the cattle outfit, Alhaji Alhassa Ali,
during the week, made this vow during a chat with pressmen
and urged the public to ignore the efforts of some people
in causing confusion in the market. He described their efforts
as cheap blackmail. And he is fingering Alhaji Ibrahim Melafia
as the brain behind the efforts.
He alleged that the company of Alhaji Melafia has no single
cow at the cattle market, and explained that what they do
was to help cow owner to sell and this practice is greatly
telling on the price of cows, thereby making it unaffordable
for the poor.
“The price of cow is lower than what people think but
when cow sellers go through these mediator, they double the
price in other to make more profits, even more than the owners,”
he explained. He said that was why his organization decided
to stamp out touting which had set them on collision part
with Melafia.
He also alleged that Melafia was working in conjuction with
Alhaji Grema Mohammed, the former manager of the abattoir,
who was sacked by the state government. “Alhaji Melafia
is Alhaji Grema Mohammed’s boy and we know he is using
him to cause disorder in the market by crying wolf where there
is non.”
“Since the Lagos State government gave us this job,
they have tried to frustrate us for a whole year but now that
we have picked up and doing well, they are not happy,”
he said
He then took time to explain the steps taken by his organization
to improve the condition of the market. “What we are
doing is to make sure that hygienic meat is produced form
our complex than listening to touts who are frustrated,”
he said.
“Presently, we are constructing cow stands but when
the rains are over, we will start road construction. Our company
has sent a proposal to the state ministry of agriculture on
how to repair and construct new roads and buildings in the
complex. Already, we have started building residence for the
cattle dealers from afar and we have succeeded in educating
them on the need to bank their money and transfer to their
account instead of carrying their money about in bulk.
As at press time Alhaji Melafia could not be reached to comments.
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