Bird Flu: Poultry Farmer Urges Compensation For Victims

A poultry farmer in
Rivers State has called on the government to put measures in place for the compensation of farmers that were affected by the recent outbreak of the bird flu in the state.
The farmer, Master Uchenna Obiako, an SSS III student who spoke to our correspondent, Monday said the move would encourage poultry farmers in improving their activities.
He also called on the federal government to collaborate with the affected states to ensure that genuine farmers were identified and accommodated in the compensation process.
According to him, the 11 states that were affected needed surveillance activities put in place at ensuring that public safety was protected so that the poultry industry would not be affected by the new outbreak.
Obiako who claimed to have delved into poultry farming at a tender age said over the years the business has aided him in his secondary school career.
He expressed worry that health workers have not been sighted going round poultry farms to monitor the level of spread of the virus in the state.
Obiako who hails from Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State, however, hailed the efforts of the state government in fighting and containing the spread of the virus in the state even as he urged the government to do more in the area of monitoring and control.
He opined that though a bird may appear healthy, it was important that qualified veterinarians should still certify such birds safe for human consumption due to the outbreak of the virus in the country in general and Rivers State in particular.
It could be recalled that the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina recently announced that the federal government plans to pay compensation to farmers whose farms were affected by the bird flu.
He also promised increase surveillance of farms across the country to check further spread of the avian influenza.