Cletus Anye Matoyah (R) signs for MIDENO, Achobong Tambeng Paul (L) signs for the Bamenda City Council
The North West Development Authority, MIDENO has officially handed over a newly constructed animal slaughter facility in the Bamenda III Subdivision. The infrastructure, built under the Livestock and Fisheries Development Project (LIFIDEP), was formally transferred to the Bamenda City Council on Tuesday 10th February 2026.
The project, conceived by the North West Development Authority (MIDENO) and funded by the Government of Cameroon in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), aims to accelerate the development of livestock and fisheries while enhancing the livelihoods of the population. Among its core objectives was the construction of modern slaughter facilities for cattle, sheep, goats and poultry to ensure the availability of fresh, hygienic and high-quality meat products.
The modern slaughterhouse, located at Manka’a–Mandah in Bamenda III, occupies a surface area of 1,752 square meters. It comprises a lairage for holding animals prior to slaughter, water tanks and pumps, a waste disposal facility, sanitary installations, and a fully equipped slaughter hall. A separate slaughter line has been designed specifically for sheep and goats.
In addition, a second building within the same premises is dedicated to poultry processing. It includes designated sections for slaughtering, bleeding, scaling, splitting and working tables. The facility is equipped with overhead tanks supplying both hot and cold water to ensure strict hygiene standards throughout the process.
Cletus Anye Matoyah
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the General Manager of MIDENO, Cletus Anye Matoyah, emphasized the importance of putting the facility to effective use as LIFIDEP transitions into its second phase.
“Now that we are migrating to Phase II of the project, the structures that have been put in place must effectively be put into use, and in particular the slaughterhouse in Bamenda III,” he said. “Since this slaughterhouse is modern, we thought it should be placed at the level of the City Council, which is at the disposal of the population of Bamenda. You heard the City Mayor say that, given its modern nature, it can even serve neighboring towns.”
The GM further assured stakeholders that MIDENO would not disengage after the handover. “At our level, we are also looking at continuous support to ensure the proper functioning of the slaughterhouse,” he added.
Achobong Tambeng Paul
For the Bamenda City Council, the facility represents a major upgrade in the infrastructure of the municipality. The City Mayor Achobong Tambeng Paul described the development as a milestone for the council.
“It is an added value to the assets of the City Council. We are grateful, and we will put it into use. We will improve our system of slaughtering and our system of meat distribution,” the mayor stated.
Noting an advancement in technology from the current slaughter facility, Mayor Achobong highlighted significant differences in both qprocedure and equipment. “This new slaughterhouse is far improved. The slaughtering procedures are new and modern. In the current slaughterhouse, we do not have skinning facilities, but here we have skinning. In the old one, slaughtering is done manually with knives, but here we have machines, and the equipment is right here,” he explained.
Stakeholders including the President of the Butchers Association answered present
He also disclosed ambitions to expand the sale of meat beyond local consumption. “We will look for the capacity to parcel and export meat to other towns,” he said, hoping that it can generate revenue to run and maintain the current modern slaughter house.
During the signing of the transfer of ownership, one pressing need remains: hygienic transportation of beef from the slaughterhouse to the market. The Bamenda City Council currently lacks a dedicated meat van for this purpose, a gap MIDENO considers critical to address. Providing a specialized meat van.
"We will see how we can provide a meat van to the council. It is our utmost priority to ensure that meat which reaches the market is healthy. Also the road network around the old and new slaughterhouses be of good shape." Cletus Anye Matoyah said.
Staff of the Bamenda City Council will be trained on how to operate the machines moving into the future.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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