Pro Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor G.A Teye Eyumu has revealed that the nation’s meat industry has collapsed to the extent that government imported live animals and animal products worth $390, 994.530 in 2011.
He made reference to the collapsed Ghana Meat Marketing Board and the Bolgatanga GIHOC Meat Industry among others established in the 70s to buttress his point.
Professor Teye Eyumu brought this to the fore at his maiden lecture on the topic “The meat industry: a potential for national development” held at the UDS Tamale city campus.
He described the continual importation of meat products into the country as totally unacceptable and admonished government to invest in the local meat industry.
“Revamping the local meat industry will reduce the importation of live animals and animal products and also generate revenue for the state through taxation.”
Professor Teye Eyumu also anticipated that revamping the local meat industry will help reduce youth unemployment.
“Ghana has the potential to produce all classes of animals for the meat industry to create jobs and wealth for the unemployed masses.”
According to the UDS Pro Vice Chancellor, about 80% of butchers in the country particularly the youth are semi-literate or uneducated.
Hygiene
He said the local meat industry is bedeviled with a myriad unhygienic condition in relation to the required personal and hygienic standards.
He bemoaned the killing of over-aged animals for meat production in the country and thus tasked the law enforcement agencies to enforce rules governing meat production and its handling.
Professor Teye Eyumu encouraged players in the local meat industry to take advantage of the UDS Meat Unit at the Nyankpala campus to improve their expertise.
Financial institutions
Professor Teye Eyumu condemned banks and other financial institutions apathy towards giving loans to credit worthy butchers to expand their businesses.
UDS Chancellor
The UDS Vice Chancellor, Professor Haruna Yakubu described Professor Teye as a disciplined academician whose expertise could not be underestimated.”
He extolled Professor Teye Eyumu for his achievements in the field of academia.
“Professor Teye is a member of many professional societies including the Ghana Animal Science Association, Ghana Society of Animal Production and the Ghana Science Association: he also represents the VCG on the Ghana Medical and Dental Council and is an Alumni of Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.”
Professor Haruna Yakubu challenged Deans of the various faculties to emulate Professor Teye’s exemplary leadership.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/Citifmonline.com/Ghana