The government of Ghana through the Ministry of Agriculture has supplied 22 vehicles and 120 motorbikes for the control of the avian influenza that continues to plague the poultry industry in the country. That is not all as government has also released GHC11 million in cash to support the fight against the disease.
This was revealed by the Deputy Minister for Agriculture in charge of livestock, Dr Hannah Bissiw at a forum which was aimed at outlining measures put in place by government to arrest the further spread of the influenza.
The government has also paid compensation to 25 affected poultry farmers at an amount of GHC 1,067,365 representing 90% of the total current market value of GHC1,185,928. So far five regions have been affected by the bird flu with Greater Accra recording the highest cases.
Since the first outbreak of Bird Flu in May 2015 the government of Ghana and its development partners such as Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, the World Bank, UNC and UNICEF as well as the USAID which has also been very supportive.
Dr Bissiw added that the compensation has so far motivated poultry farmers to report cases of suspected disease on their farms.
Source: ritefmonline.org
