NAN-H-21
Livestock
By Mohammed Mamman
Damaturu, Dec. 6, 2016 (NAN) Livestock farmers in Yobe on Tuesday advocated for the establishment of a government task force to eliminate the menace of unqualified healthcare providers and expired vaccines and drugs administered on livestock in the state.
The farmers made the call in Damaturu at a stakeholders meeting on annual mass vaccination of animals in the state.
Alhaji Abdu Hussaini, representative of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Gujba local government area, described the proliferation of quack healthcare personnel and expired drugs as threatening to the health of the animals.
Hussaini said medicine vendors selling expired vaccines and drugs had flooded every livestock market in Gujba, Gulani and other parts of the state.
“Quacks and unprofessional healthcare providers are exploiting the farmers by selling and administering wrong and expired drugs on the animals and threatening livestock farming in the area,’’ he said.
Alhaji Bani Ali, Secretary MACBAN Zone C, said the vendors had no cold chain system to preserve animal drugs and vaccines, as recommended by their manufacturers.
“The medicine vendors have no respect for the manufacturer’s guidelines in preserving the medicines, thus putting farmers at the risk of losing their money to adulterated and expired drugs, as well as the animals,” Ali said.
Yobe Commissioner for Agriculture, Mustapha Gajerima, said the annual mass vaccination was to protect the animals against trans-boundary diseases like Contagious Bovine Pluro Pneumonia (CBPP), Black Quarter (BQ) and Pest Petit Ruminants (PPR), as well as Anti-Rabies (AR) for dogs.
Gajerima assured that government would continue to provide “all the necessary support and assistance to livestock development in the state”.
The commissioner urged veterinary personnel to maintain high standards of professionalism and effective utilisation of inputs provided by government for the maximum benefit of livestock development in the state.
Dr Mustapha Gaidam, Programme Manager, Yobe Pilot Livestock Development Programme, solicited for the establishment of permanent vaccination camps in each of the three senatorial districts, to boost vaccinations in the state.
Gaidam suggested a soft loan programme to private investors under the small-holder livestock project, to promote participation.
“The need to provide office and residential accommodation and logistics to field staff would enhance effective coverage of livestock farmers in the remote grazing communities,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that livestock farmers, community leaders, veterinary officers and heads of agricultural departments from the 17 local government areas in the state participated in the stakeholders’ forum. (NAN)
MM/ORO/PIO
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(Edited by Razak Owolabi/Idonije Obakhedo)