Five city and 10 municipal councils have received specialised vans and tricycles for the transportation of fisheries and livestock products.

The vehicles are a donation from the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries to the city councils in the North West, Far North, North, Centre and South regions and to 10 municipal councils.

These gifts are geared towards ensuring the good hygienic conditions of food items from their areas of production to consumption destinations.

Livestock officials indicated that poor conditions of transportation of food items usually results in food poisoning and when consumed results in health disorders.

It is to mitigate such situations that the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries provided vans and tricycles to some slaughter houses in the respective regions enable them transport the meat in good conditions to the market. The beneficiaries also received working materials such as boots and coats.

The donation was a welcomed relief to the Government Delegate of the Bamenda City Council, Vincent Ndumu, who said “all the cars and bikes used by butchers in Bamenda were old”.

The Minister of Livestock Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr Taiga said, the donations will continue in other councils nationwide.

He indicated that the donation is in a bid to protect the consumers from food poisoning. He also emphasised that Livestock, Fisheries products must be verified and certified by sanitary inspectors before they leave the slaughter house.

The provision of vans to councils was first initiated in 2012 and so far and estimated at 500 million CFA francs has been invested.