The newly constructed abattoir, valued at ¢1.2 million, started in July 2017 with funding from the World Bank and was commissioned for use in 2018.

It has modern slaughtering and animal processing facilities, lavatories, offices, and a pavilion.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that the abattoir, which had been locked for two days, had affected the operations of food vendors, restaurants, and chop bars among other stakeholders who now resort to chicken and fish to complement their protein needs.

When the Agency visited the old abattoir in Bolgatanga, the butchers were seated in groups around the locked facility chatting with one another.

The action, the public fear, would affect the quality of meat as it may not be properly examined by Veterinary officers to ensure safety.

Tindaazok Koldo, the Chief Butcher at the old Abattoir, who expressed displeasure at the situation, explained that prior to the construction of the new abattoir at Yorogo, the leadership of the Bolgatanga Butchers Association was not consulted.

He said for the past three years there had not been any discussion on the matter and so after completion, he and his colleagues declined to relocate.

Also, the new facility could not accommodate the about 400 butchers, saying: “A lot of our members depend on the Abattoir to earn a living, and so if we move there, a good number will be laid off for lack of space. This will add up to the unemployment among the youth in the Region.”

Mr Koldo said there was no livestock market near the new abattoir, which would affect their business.

“If the Assembly can move the livestock market to Yorogo, we will relocate. But as it stands, we cannot move there without the livestock market,” he said.

Rex Asanga, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, in an interview with the GNA, confirmed that the Assembly locked up the abattoir after several negotiations to have the butchers relocate.

He said upon completion of the facility, the Assembly held series of meetings with their leadership and they raised concerns about the need for a meat van to transport the meat to town for sale.

They also requested a platform outside the abattoir where they could slaughter some animals as they all could not slaughter in the Abattoir.

The MCE said following the butchers’ requests, the Assembly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with them to address those concerns, adding that “the Assembly at its own cost, constructed a platform so that some of the animals could be slaughtered on it.

“These were the main things they asked for, and the Assembly has met its side of the bargain, but the butchers refused to relocate.

“Health-wise, the old abattoir is not in the best of conditions,” he said.

The MCE said after the December 15, 2021, deadline to relocate, the Assembly further engaged their leadership and extended the date to the first week of January 2022.

“But they did not move, so the Municipal Security Council held a meeting and invited them to discuss a date for their movement.

“They refused to honour the invitation, and so we wrote to them to relocate by January 18, 2022,” Mr Asanga said.

On the issue of relocating the livestock market to Yorogo, the MCE said: “We discussed that issue with them in the past but the butchers have to move first before the livestock market can move.”

“But they think that we should relocate all of them at the same time. That will not be fair to the cattle traders. They also have their issues.”

The Asante Akyem South Municipal Assembly has donated 30 desks to the Adansi M/A Primary School to aid teaching and learning.

The donation followed an Adom News’ broadcast on pupils being forced to sit on mats during lessons due to lack of furniture.

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A visit to the school by Adom News’ reporter Isaac Amoako, prior to the donation, saw pupils lament that they stand in the class while others struggle to share the few desks available.

The Asante Akyem South Municipal Chief Director, Alexander Frimpong made the donation on behalf of the Assembly.

Speaking in an interview with Adom News after the presentation, the pupils, who could not hide their joy, prayed for God’s blessings for the Municipal Chief Executive, Alexander Frimpong and Municipal Education Director, Evelyn Kerina Benewaa for the support.

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A kindergarten teacher of Adansi M/A Primary School, Marian Arthur, on behalf of the authorities, expressed appreciation to the Assembly for fulfilling its promise.

Mr Stephen Ashitey Adjei, a political activist, said in a statement issued in Accra that such practices led to unbridled corruption, hence the need for the President to deploy undercover agents to investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.