The Essos meat market in the heart of Yaoundé's 5th district now has a new lease of life. On Wednesday 26 November, at a festive ceremony attended by government officials, development partners, market leaders and workers, and well-wishers, the district inaugurated a newly constructed site.
Gone are the dark and cramped spaces, improvised stalls, the slippery mud during the rainy season, and the precarious hygiene conditions. The old meat market, a cramped space in the centre of the district's main market, was also difficult to access. Now the butchers of Essos have a clean and modern market that is only 200 metres from the main thoroughfare, set on a paved road that is easy for customers to reach by car, motorbike and on foot.
"We're blown away -- it's really something! The environment is clean, which is great. We're speechless," said Ibrahim Mgbahou, a butcher who has just moved into his new premises at the market. "This place is going to attract more customers, because they like things to be clean, as you know. Over time, I think I'll sell more meat and make more money to look after my family."
The new meat market includes 15 shops, each with a glass-fronted cabinet for displaying cuts of meat, a workbench with a sink and tap, and a storeroom with space for a refrigerator. It also features a 40 m³ cold store, administrative offices, a storage area, a car park, and toilets.
Attendees at the opening ceremony included the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr Taïga; Minister of Trade, Luc Mbarga Atangana; Mayor of Yaoundé's 5th district, Augustin Balla ; and Pierre Ollame Békale, Country Programme Officer at the African Development Bank Group, representing the Director General for Central Africa, Léandre Bassolé.
Improving meat traceability and health quality
The Essos meat market is one of 26 meat marketing infrastructure projects completed or under construction in Cameroon's 10 regions, under the Livestock and Fish Farming Value Chains Development Project (PDCVEP). The project, costing a total of €99.27 million (65.11 billion CFA francs), has received financing of €84 million (55.10 billion CFA francs) from the African Development Bank Group.
"These achievements reflect real efforts towards strengthening food security and the availability of good-quality foodstuffs for households, which help to promote an inclusive economy. The markets built in the country will enhance the value of local production by offering consumers high-quality products," said Mr Taïga.
"The market we are inaugurating today is a concrete response to the challenges identified during consultations with professionals in the sector," emphasised Mr Békale. "It will make it possible to significantly reduce illegal slaughtering, improve the traceability and health quality of meat, provide traders with a modern and secure space, and bring producers and consumers closer together in an environment that is built to the highest standards."
For Jean-Claude Gbetnja Mefire, permanent secretary of the butchers at Essos market, "it's a real luxury, it's magnificent! The old site was chaotic, with a disorganised small-scale butchery. I'm motivated to take good care of my space and encourage my fellow butchers to keep the market clean through awareness-raising and monitoring."
