Porous red line can't stop the beef
Rumours of meat from outdoor slaughtering near Adolfi being transported across the country, have sharpened inspections at checkpoints along the red line.
Authorities in Oshana Region are calling on butchers operating at the Adolfi settlement at Ekolyanaambo village near Omaalala along the Ondangwa-Ongwediva road, to establish a slaughterhouse or they will have their businesses shut down.
Currently, butchers are slaughtering cattle and preparing the meat for public consumption in an open area under the trees. It is also reported that animals are not examined for health clearances before being consumed and this poses a serious public health threat.
The areas are also not sanitised and more often than not, are surrounded by illegal dumping sites full of household and other waste.
Of further concern is the fact that the meat is apparently also transported south of the red line, and sold and consumed in other areas of the country, putting at risk international agreements and enhancing the threat of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the rest of the country.
The Ondangwa Rural Constituency councillor, Kaushiweni Abraham, told Namibian Sun the meat they prepare is consumed nationally.
“The meat at Adolfi is being consumed by people all over Namibia. This means that strict health controls are needed.
Butchers also need to change their methods of slaughtering and preparing the meat cuts. If we are to expose this to their customers, they will not buy their meat anymore,” Abraham said.
“The last meeting we had with these butchers was in July last year and it was attended by, amongst others, the regional primary healthcare division, the regional police, the traditional authority and regional council. It was well deliberated that to meet the primary healthcare targets, these butchers must establish a slaughterhouse. The traditional authority said it is willing to allocate land for this purpose,” Abraham said.
There are five butchers slaughtering cattle and selling fresh meat to travellers along the Ondangwa-Ongwediva main road. They also supply meat to the open market vendors at Oshakati, Ongwediva, Ondangwa and many other places in the north. Abraham said that his office, together with the Oshana health inspector, Abner Niiwale, held several meetings with these butchers explaining to them the issue of public health and a resolution was agreed upon for the butchers to establish their own slaughterhouse which they will manage and operate privately.
Abraham said the traditional authority has done its part by making sure that all cattle being slaughtered are registered and identified. He said this is done to control stock theft.
He, however, added that up to now, veterinary services are not involved to examine animal health. He also said that butchers have not yet indicated whether they are willing to establish a slaughterhouse or not.
When contacted, the agriculture ministry's chief veterinarian for the north-west subdivision, Dr Kenneth Shoombe told Namibian Sun that slaughtering under trees falls under the mandate of the health ministry. “We do not have the mandate to go around inspecting animal slaughtering under trees, at weddings or funerals. Our task is to issue animal movement control permits from one area to another. We are also tasked with the inspection of meat that is being exported.”
He continued by saying that “red meat is prohibited from crossing the red line and if there are those smuggling it these individuals need to be prosecuted and become examples for others. The north is not cleared as a 'free zone' from foot-and-mouth disease. We are not aware that there are people smuggling meat there because we have officials operating there all the time.”
Following enquiries with the Meat Board, the organisation informed Namibian Sun that alerts would be immediately issued to sharpen searches and checks on vehicles travelling to the south of the red line.
According to Dr Shoombe, the ministry is considering putting up strict measures “as we have acquired sniffer dogs”.
The concern is the risk to the EU and other international agreements which have just been concluded including exports to Hong Kong, Norway and the United States. Other export markets, including South Africa, will also be at risk.
“The effect will be devastating for Namibia if it loses its red meat import agreement with other countries,” Shoombe said.
'They are jealous'
A butcher, commenting on the condition of anonymity, claimed that authorities are plotting against then and are only envious because they are making a lot of money.
“It is a very difficult thing to do business among the black community. The moment they see you prosper in your business they are already putting you in the spotlight and trying to make things difficult for you. When we started this business they were laughing at us. Now that we are progressing well, they are trying to make life difficult for us.”
The Adolfi butchers speculators buy cattle, slaughter them and sell the meat. They have been in this business since the 1990s.
ILENI NANDJATO
Currently, butchers are slaughtering cattle and preparing the meat for public consumption in an open area under the trees. It is also reported that animals are not examined for health clearances before being consumed and this poses a serious public health threat.
The areas are also not sanitised and more often than not, are surrounded by illegal dumping sites full of household and other waste.
Of further concern is the fact that the meat is apparently also transported south of the red line, and sold and consumed in other areas of the country, putting at risk international agreements and enhancing the threat of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in the rest of the country.
The Ondangwa Rural Constituency councillor, Kaushiweni Abraham, told Namibian Sun the meat they prepare is consumed nationally.
“The meat at Adolfi is being consumed by people all over Namibia. This means that strict health controls are needed.
Butchers also need to change their methods of slaughtering and preparing the meat cuts. If we are to expose this to their customers, they will not buy their meat anymore,” Abraham said.
“The last meeting we had with these butchers was in July last year and it was attended by, amongst others, the regional primary healthcare division, the regional police, the traditional authority and regional council. It was well deliberated that to meet the primary healthcare targets, these butchers must establish a slaughterhouse. The traditional authority said it is willing to allocate land for this purpose,” Abraham said.
There are five butchers slaughtering cattle and selling fresh meat to travellers along the Ondangwa-Ongwediva main road. They also supply meat to the open market vendors at Oshakati, Ongwediva, Ondangwa and many other places in the north. Abraham said that his office, together with the Oshana health inspector, Abner Niiwale, held several meetings with these butchers explaining to them the issue of public health and a resolution was agreed upon for the butchers to establish their own slaughterhouse which they will manage and operate privately.
Abraham said the traditional authority has done its part by making sure that all cattle being slaughtered are registered and identified. He said this is done to control stock theft.
He, however, added that up to now, veterinary services are not involved to examine animal health. He also said that butchers have not yet indicated whether they are willing to establish a slaughterhouse or not.
When contacted, the agriculture ministry's chief veterinarian for the north-west subdivision, Dr Kenneth Shoombe told Namibian Sun that slaughtering under trees falls under the mandate of the health ministry. “We do not have the mandate to go around inspecting animal slaughtering under trees, at weddings or funerals. Our task is to issue animal movement control permits from one area to another. We are also tasked with the inspection of meat that is being exported.”
He continued by saying that “red meat is prohibited from crossing the red line and if there are those smuggling it these individuals need to be prosecuted and become examples for others. The north is not cleared as a 'free zone' from foot-and-mouth disease. We are not aware that there are people smuggling meat there because we have officials operating there all the time.”
Following enquiries with the Meat Board, the organisation informed Namibian Sun that alerts would be immediately issued to sharpen searches and checks on vehicles travelling to the south of the red line.
According to Dr Shoombe, the ministry is considering putting up strict measures “as we have acquired sniffer dogs”.
The concern is the risk to the EU and other international agreements which have just been concluded including exports to Hong Kong, Norway and the United States. Other export markets, including South Africa, will also be at risk.
“The effect will be devastating for Namibia if it loses its red meat import agreement with other countries,” Shoombe said.
'They are jealous'
A butcher, commenting on the condition of anonymity, claimed that authorities are plotting against then and are only envious because they are making a lot of money.
“It is a very difficult thing to do business among the black community. The moment they see you prosper in your business they are already putting you in the spotlight and trying to make things difficult for you. When we started this business they were laughing at us. Now that we are progressing well, they are trying to make life difficult for us.”
The Adolfi butchers speculators buy cattle, slaughter them and sell the meat. They have been in this business since the 1990s.
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article