Concerns Over Deplorable Abattoir Main Entrance/ Car Park

The Main entrance to the multi-billion naira Oko-Oba Abattoir/ Lairage Complex, Agege, Lagos state, is currently in a deplorable condition.

Also, the car park for scores of customers/ visitors to the complex currently suffers from a similar fate in addition to its poor hygienist condition.

Investigations by our correspondent indicated that the road has developed crater-like portholes, making smooth ride into the massive complex and its adjoining areas difficult for workers and visitors alike.

Besides visits to the area showed that the car park, in particular, has been turned into various business activities, thereby narrowing the roads.

For example, meat sellers have abandoned their locations to the right of the man road, and instead, relocated to the car park, thereby competing with sores of other businesses like POint of Sales Operators, POS; yam, pepper and liquor sellers ; many of whom mount canopies in the areas.

Therefore, it was gathered that the poor state of hygiene, coupled with the degrading road, have become sources of worry to the management of the complex, other stakeholders and visitors alike.

Further investigations showed that hoodlums, who engage in anti-social behaviours, including smoking hard drug suspected to be Indian Hemp, have continued to invade the area, including the car park, Lagos state Park and Gardens located at the main entrance and along Agriculture Road, which runs parallel to the complex, terminating at Fagba area in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area.

Scores of such smokers were sighted sitting in disused tricycles, while women of easy virtue were seen at night loitering around the area in search of customers.

In line with its avowed mandate to ' maintain the smooth running of the complex, Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited, which took cover the running of the complex since 2003, had advised Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, LCDA, which manages and collects revenue at the park to "put in place all measures to control and maintain a high level of Hygiene at the location."

Documents obtained by our correspondent indicated that several correspondents were exchanged between Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited and the Chairman of the Ojokoro LCDA over the issues.

For example, in a letter, dated 1st November, 2021, signed by the Managing Director of Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited, Chief M.A. Bello and received by the Council on 1st December, 2021, titled: Management and Maintenance of the Oko-Oba Abattoir Car Park, " the company said " the transfer of right of management to the council was with some provisions, which include the proper maintenance the car park area".

But regrettably , the MD said, "We humbly bring this to the notice of the council that those charged with the responsibility of managing the facility have derailed , as the sanitation and proper hygiene have not been kept, coupled with the fact that the traders are encroaching deeply into the road..."

Harmony Management therefore urged the council, headed by Chairman Hameed Idowu Tijani , to intervene quickly to "avoid unnecessary collision with the operators, as our organisation cannot afford to close it's eyes to the ineffective adherence to our collective agreement by the operators."

The Management of Harmony Abattoir Services Limited, in another document signed by Chief MA Bello, Managing Director, dated 4th October 2021, and addressed to the Chairman, Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, entitled": Collection of car park fees", said, whereas, Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited "do not collect fees at the park, we wish the council put in place all measures to control and maintain high level of Hygiene at the location."

In its reply to the Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited, dated 24th May, 2023, titled: Rehabilitation of the parking lot at Abattoir Complex, Oko-Oba"; and signed by the Council's Manager, Mr. Adebola Odeyemi, it stated that, 

"Sequel to the discussion between the authorities of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, and Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited, on the rehabilitation of the parking lot at the Abattoir Complex, Oko-Oba, the Council wishes to inform you that work will commence soon as the Council Engineer is working on this implementation."

However, it was observed that months after this avowed promise, nothing has been done, even though the complex still retains its enviable revenue generating potential.