Mrs Chigbo Uche, Director-General, PHEW Foundation International, has called on governments at all levels to help establish modern abattoirs in markets nationwide to achieve a hygienic environment.
Uche made the call on Friday when she led members of the Foundation on a sensitisation visit to Ekete Market in Udu Local Government Area of Delta.
She said that air pollution was a major cause of death globally, saying that maintaining a clean and healthy environment would help to mitigate ailments associated with it.
Uche observed that the smell emanating from the Ekete market abattoir was capable of causing health complications and advised the butchers to always wear surgical mask to prevent inhaling polluted air.
The director-general noted that a clean and healthy environment was a collective responsibility for everyone.
“Everybody has a role to play to achieve a healthy environment. We need to have proper waste management to make the air clean for everybody.
“Our industries also play a major part in the air pollution.
“Government should regulate gas flaring and sanction oil companies that fail to comply with the law on clean air.
“Government should also try and upgrade our abattoirs in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to have a clean environment,” she said.
Uche said that waste from the abattoirs could be recycled for economic use and by implication, create job opportunities.
She appealed to the traders to keep their environment clean while awaiting government intervention.
Also speaking, Mr Frank Eruebi, Director, Head of Department of Environment in Udu Local Government noted that the Council had a role to play in ensuring a clean environment.
Eruebi attributed the filthiness in the Ekete Market to the lukewarm attitude of the traders to maintaining the market.
He gave an assurance assured that government would continue to do its best for the market within the limit of its available resources.
Responding, the Chairperson of Ekete Market, Mrs Treasure Kingdom, thanked the NGO for the sensitisation.
“Government should build a modern abattoir for us so that the environment will be cleaner,’’ she said.
The highlight of the tour was the distribution of surgical masks to traders in the market. (NAN)
