The Ministry of Meals and Agriculture has secured GH¢20m for the fee of compensation to poultry farmers who misplaced their birds, as a result of outbreak of the Avian Influenza H5N1, popularly often called “Hen Flu.”
“Now we have secured the cash from the Finance Ministry, by subsequent week we are going to begin the disbursement, we’re nonetheless within the strategy of concluding the modalities for the disbursement,” the Minister of Meals and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto disclosed this in an interview on Accra-based Peace FM, monitored by Ghanaian Occasions yesterday.
Over 700,000 birds and portions of crates of eggs had been culled and destroyed within the nation following the outbreak of the fowl flu at a poultry farm in Tema on July 18 final 12 months, which had since unfold throughout the nation.
Though the unfold of fowl flu had been introduced beneath management, the poultry farmers who had misplaced their livelihoods as a result of infections, had been crying out to the federal government for compensation to get again to enterprise.
On why the compensation had taken lengthy, DrAkoto confused the necessity for a “strong knowledge” on the affected farmers to facilitate the disbursement of the compensation, including “we’re finalising the modalities for the disbursement, we’re processing the modalities for fee, the cash is with us,” he added.
He mentioned the newest pressure of the virus within the nation and different components of the subregion area was “very lethal and large,” saying that it had tremendously affected the poultry business.
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DrAkotofurther disclosed that the federal government had given monetary clearance for the recruitment of 500 veterinary surgeons and technicians to increase providers and enhance upon animal well being within the nation.
The fowl flu was first reported in Ghana in April 2007 which was introduced beneath management, however had since been recurring within the nation with penalties for the poultry sector, particularly the smallholder poultry farmers and poultry consumption within the nation.
In Ghana, poultry meat consumption is dominated by rooster meat and the nation is reported to be spending within the area of $374 million to import poultry merchandise yearly from america of America, Brazil and the European Union to complement native manufacturing.
Varied initiatives had been carried out to handle the quick fall in poultry manufacturing in Ghana with the newest being the “Rearing for Meals and Jobs,” however the initiative has suffered a setback as a result of outbreak of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the agriculture worth chain.
