The National Project Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, L-PRES, Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, has inspected major livestock infrastructure in Taraba State as part of efforts to assess the progress of ongoing projects ahead of their commissioning.
Dr. Sanusi, accompanied by the National Husbandry Specialist, Dr. Amaeze Gabriel Ugwu, and an ABIS Group consultant, inspected the Livestock Service Centre in Sunkani, the Jalingo Ultra-Modern Abattoir and the ongoing Model Veterinary Hospital in Jalingo.
The team was received by the Taraba State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Mr. Hananiah G. Albert, and members of the Project Implementation Unit.
At the Livestock Service Centre in Sunkani, the delegation inspected the facilities under the guidance of the Director of Rockstar Construction Company Limited, Mr. Godson Aluka.
The National Coordinator later paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Oliver Namessan, before proceeding with the commissioner to the Jalingo Ultra-Modern Abattoir.
The abattoir was formally handed over to the ABIS Group for remodelling, mechanisation and automation.
The delegation also inspected the ongoing construction of the Model Veterinary Hospital, which is part of the state's efforts to strengthen animal health services.
Speaking with journalists after the inspection, Dr. Sanusi Abubakar said the visit was to assess the progress of the Livestock Service Centre and witness the commencement of work on the abattoir.
He said the contract for the remodelling had been signed and the contractor was already on ground to mobilise to site.
Dr. Sanusi added that the inspection was also part of preparations for the planned visit of the Minister of Livestock later in the year, when several L-PRES projects in Taraba are expected to be commissioned.
He commended the Taraba State Project Coordinator and his team for their performance, describing Taraba as one of the better-performing states under the L-PRES programme.
The National Coordinator also acknowledged the support of the Taraba State Government, saying political commitment was critical to the development and modernisation of livestock infrastructure.
He noted that only five states—Taraba, Oyo, Niger, Kogi and Yobe—have Livestock Service Centres under the programme.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Namessan, expressed satisfaction with the planned transformation of the Jalingo abattoir into a fully mechanised and automated facility.
Professor Namessan thanked the Federal Government and the World Bank for including Taraba among the seven states benefiting from the initiative to reactivate and modernise seven abattoirs.
The Taraba State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Mr. Hananiah G. Albert, commended Governor Agbu Kefas for providing an enabling environment for the implementation of L-PRES projects in the state.
He identified the Livestock Service Centre, Jalingo abattoir and the animal health hub, comprising the cold chain, disease surveillance laboratory, artificial insemination centre and Model Veterinary Hospital, as key components of Taraba's livestock development programme.
Albert appealed to host communities to cooperate with L-PRES and support the sustainability of the projects by avoiding disputes and compensation-related challenges.
The inspection ended with the formal handover of the Jalingo Ultra-Modern Abattoir to the ABIS Group for remodelling, mechanisation and automation.
The event was attended by government officials, members of the L-PRES Project Implementation Unit and other stakeholders.
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