The butchers currently depend on a deplorable old structure built in the colonial days.

Statistics from the Bawku Environmental Health Department indicates that on the average, about 20 cattle, 16 goats and 12 sheep are slaughtered daily.This means about 600 cattle are consumed monthly and 7200 are consumed yearly by a population of about 126,000.

Mr Daniel Kpabo, an inspection officer at the Environmental Health Department stationed at the slaughter house, said this to the Ghana News Agency in Bawku.He said the facility was confronted with numerous challenges and mentioned the lack of hanging hooks for meat slices to avoid contamination and for inspection.

Mr Kpabo said currently the butchers are compelled to spread the meat slices on the floor for inspection.Besides, he said, the facility lacked inspection tables, detergent and other cleaning chemicals, for the butchers to aid in their affairs.Mr Kpabo said as a result of the inadequate water supply to the area, the butchers are in competition with the surrounding community for water to attend to their activities.

He appealed to the Municipal Assembly to help them acquire a mechanized borehole to facilitate their activities.He also appealed to government to aid the slaughter house with a gas facility to enable them produce healthy meat for the consumption while it considered providing a modern abattoir for the area.

Mr Sani Awudu  a Meat Inspector attached to the Slaughter House from the Veterinary Services Department, explained that the meat normally went through two processes- anti-post mortem, and post mortem to help check if the meat was wholesome before they are allowed to go out of the slaughter house and onto the market.He said as at last year only three unwholesome meat products were recorded and were properly disposed off.

Baba Mohammed Gariba, Chief butcher at the Slaughter House, urged all butchers to obey the rules and regulations governing the house.