By Asuquo Edem
Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Tuesday rejected a motion brought before it by the member representing Etinan State Constituency, Hon. Uduak Ekpoufot.
The motion presented before the House seeks to discontinue the consumption and sale of dog meat in Akwa Ibom State has failed to scale through the floor of the State House of Assembly after it received no seconder during plenary.
Hon. Ekpoufot, raised strong concerns over the inhumane slaughter of dogs, the unhygienic conditions involved, and the serious public-health risks associated with dog-meat consumption. He argued that the methods used to kill dogs were cruel, often involving strangulation, blunt-force trauma, or repeated blows, leading to severe animal suffering.
The lawmaker further warned that poorly processed dog meat exposes consumers to dangerous pathogens such as rabies, salmonella, trichinella and other parasites, stressing that the practice has been banned in several countries due to safety concerns.
Despite the detailed presentation, the motion failed to progress as it did not receive a seconder — a mandatory requirement under House rules. With no support from any other member, the motion automatically collapsed and was declared rejected by the Speaker.
The development means Akwa Ibom State will maintain the status quo on dog-meat consumption, at least for now, despite the sponsor’s call for improved public health standards and humane treatment of animals.
