THE Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has
expressed anger over the lackadaisical attitude
of the Federal Government towards the outbreak
of Avian Influenza in the country.
This is coming from the backdrop of a report
that over 2.7 million birds have been affected
since its outbreak in 2015 and that one million
birds were depopulated within one month in two
farms in Kuje and Gwagwalada Local Council of
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The PAN Director-General, Onallo Akpa, who
lamented that many of their members are
running out of business and unable to pay back
bank loans because their farms are being
depopulated and compensations are not paid,
said despite these losses by farmers, the
government has not been paying adequate
attention to the spread of the disease.
He said aside depopulation of farms and
compensation of farmers, there are no deliberate
plans by the Federal Government to curb the
disease, adding: “Let government put in place
the proper frame-work and the farmers are ready
to co-operate.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has decided
to go tough on illegal poultry farms across the
country following the ravaging Avian Influenza
outbreak in 22 states, including the FCT.
The Chief Veterinarian Officer of the Federation,
Dr. Egejura Eze, who disclosed this during a
sensitisation programme on the disease, also
referred to as bird flu in Kuje and Gwagwalada
local councils of the FCT at the weekend, said
the government would not allow illegality and
impunity to continue in the poultry industry as
she bemoaned the rise of unregistered poultry
farms by some people who by-pass the
veterinarian officers in the states and local
councils, but come forward to be compensated
by the government for losses incurred during an
outbreak of bird flu.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2016/01/poultry-farmers-berate-govt-over-outbreak-of-bird-flu/