Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has instructed the Dar es Salaam City Council and the National Housing Corporation (NHC) to expedite the construction of a modern Vingunguti abattoir.
He issued the directives yesterday when touring the project worth 12.49bn/- that was initially supposed to be completed in December 2019.
“Dar es Salaam Mayor and Director, we need this abattoir to commence operation, complete the remaining five per cent of the finishing stage promptly. It is also crucial for the City Council and livestock traders to hold a meeting now before the project’s kick-off,” he said.
The construction of the state- of- the- art Vingunguti abattoir is 95 per cent complete, including slaughterhouses and sewage systems, while the water storage tank and cold storage facilities will be completed by 30 June 2021.
The popular slaughterhouse in Dar es Salaam serves the residents in the city, neighboring regions and countries.
Upon completion, the facility will have the capacity to slaughter 1,500 cattle from the current average of 500 and 1,000 goats every day, a jump of 100 per cent.
Similarly, the Prime Minister has instructed the Dar es Salaam City Council’s administration to ensure that sewage from the abattoir is diverted to special canals which will dispense its spill into the river, so that it does not enter people’s households.
In addition, Mr Majaliwa said that it is high time for traders to commence using the modern abattoir and anyone who wants to use it should be allowed.
“The machines are ready; it is good to start training them so that they know how they function. The Chairman of the association of livestock and their products may be preparing some cows and they can be slaughtered at the new abattoir before the official opening,” he noted
The Premier has also instructed the Director of Dar es Salaam City Council to ensure that he quickly completes the procedures for the construction of a section of the railway line that enters the abattoir for unloading cattle.
Commenting on the construction of the project, Dar es Salaam City Director, Mr Jumanne Shauri said upon completion of the facility will increase meat supply and sell outside the country such as in Arab nations.
He further said the completion of the project will enable the supply of quality meat compared to that produced at the former abattoir, adding that the abattoir will employ 300 permanent workers as well as 3,000 workers on a casual basis.
“The facility will be operating day and night, with two shifts of eight hours each, slaughtering 500 cattle and 250 goats and sheep per shift,” he said.
According to Mr Shauri, the facility is designed with a set of electrical and pneumatic live killing machines for cattle, goats and sheep, taking only three to five seconds to cut a single animal. There will also be a bleeding area, which will control spillage through automatic conveyors.
