Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina, on Wednesday confirmed the outbreak of bird flu in 11 states of the federation.
Adesina announced that the Federal
Government had approved N145 million to compensate farmers affected by
the outbreak of the disease.
He made the disclosure at an emergency meeting on Avian Influenza with state commissioners for agriculture in Abuja.
The minister directed that the compensation should be paid to the farmers within 72 hours.
Adesina named the states affected by the
outbreak of the disease as Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo,
Plateau, Gombe, Imo, Oyo and Jigawa states.
He explained that the compensation was
for 39 farms across nine states where depopulation was carried out as a
measure to control the outbreak.
The minister said that the affected farmers would get N1.4 million each.
“We want all those who are exposed to report. The Federal Government just like we dealt with Ebola are on top of the situation.
“We are not in a state of an epidemic
and will collaborate with states and our development partners to ensure
that there is no room for panic,’’ Adesina said.
According to him, as at Jan. 21, a total
of 139, 505 birds had been exposed with 22, 173 mortality recorded and
as at Jan. 27, 232,385 were exposed and 51, 444 mortality recorded.
He said the ministry was working closely
with State Governments, the Poultry Association of Nigeria, the
Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association and the Animal Science
Association of Nigeria to contain the spread of the flu.
The minister said he had directed a
nationwide comprehensive surveillance, quarantine, de-population and
decontamination of affected poultry farms.
He said that poultry products if cooked
well was safe for consumption, adding that the main channel of infection
was direct contact with infected surfaces or objects contaminated with
feces of infected birds.
Adesina urged the citizenry to imbibe
high level of hygiene, calling on stakeholders to cooperate with
government to quickly control the outbreak.
He urged the private sector to cash in
on the opportunity to establish veterinary laboratories across the
country for easy and faster diagnosis of animal diseases.
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