May 4, 2007

Nigerian government to pay US$2 million to bird flu-affected poultry farmers

The Federal Government of Nigeria will pay NGN281 million or US$2.20 million compensation to 111 poultry farmers in 13 states whose birds are affected by avian influenza.

This has been announced by Dr Junaidu Maina, Director, Livestock and Pest Control Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Maina said the ministry had already paid NGN163 million to the affected farmers as part of the new Federal Government compensation guidelines.

The agriculture ministry has also conducted a workshop to offer the opportunity of continuing active surveillance, as well as putting in place appropriate mechanisms for early response in poultry disease outbreaks.

Maina said the workshop will be the training ground to rapidly identify and eliminate virus to minimise its risk on transmission to humans.

He said a lot had been achieved in the area of improving the disease surveillance and laboratory diagnosis particularly to animal health workers and veterinarians in early detection and control of the disease.