Sally Furniss
Well-known member
By Terna Doki, Makurdi
and John Adi, Kaduna
A ?chop-chicken carnival? organised in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, by the state?s Chicken Farmers Association (CFA), was abruptly aborted following a suspected outbreak of the Avian Influenza (bird flu) in some parts of the state.
CFA members in the state had complained of poor sales since cases of bird flu were first reported in Nigeria in some northern states.
The chop-chicken carnival was meant to restore the confidence of the consumers in the consumption of chicken, even though the state was yet to record a case of bird flu.
Activities lined up by the CFA for the event included a mobile campaign in an open vehicle round the metropolis, with members eating roasted, fried or boiled chicken in public view to dispel fear of bird flu infection in the state.
But as invited guests converged on the Ministry of Agriculture?s public hall for the ceremony, waiting for caterers to finish cooking the chickens to be used for the event, news broke that some cases of bird flu had been discovered in the state.
The Commissioner of Animal and Forest Resources, Chief Mike Iduma, who broke the unpleasant news, and also announced cancellation of the event, stated that some suspected cases of the bird flu have just been reported in Otukpo, Apa and Ogbadibo local government areas of the state.
Iduma further stated that death of chickens in large numbers has been reported in these areas, noting that samples of the dead chickens have been taken to the Veterinary Research Institute of Nigeria, Vom in Plateau State, for laboratory tests. He said until the outcome of the laboratory tests are known, the chop-chicken carnival remained suspended.
Meanwhile, Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has challenged stakeholders in the health sector to identify the source of bird flu in the country.
In his remarks during the National Workshop for states? directors of public health and veterinary service at the General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kaduna, the governor said it is necessary to first identify the source of the bird flu disease, before working on how to prevent it.
?There is need to know if the disease came into Nigeria through the importation of birds or from migration of birds into the country,?he said.
He said he was shocked when he heard about the outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria and Kaduna in particular.
However, he said government would double its efforts to ensure that any further spread of the disease in the stateis checked.
He laso appealed to the people of state to assist government by ensuring that they inform the appropriate authorities whenever they discover any dead bird or chicken in their communities.
He also noted that the outbreak of the disease has seriously affected families who operate small poultry farms in their houses.
http://www.independentng.com/news/aremar090601.htm
and John Adi, Kaduna
A ?chop-chicken carnival? organised in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, by the state?s Chicken Farmers Association (CFA), was abruptly aborted following a suspected outbreak of the Avian Influenza (bird flu) in some parts of the state.
CFA members in the state had complained of poor sales since cases of bird flu were first reported in Nigeria in some northern states.
The chop-chicken carnival was meant to restore the confidence of the consumers in the consumption of chicken, even though the state was yet to record a case of bird flu.
Activities lined up by the CFA for the event included a mobile campaign in an open vehicle round the metropolis, with members eating roasted, fried or boiled chicken in public view to dispel fear of bird flu infection in the state.
But as invited guests converged on the Ministry of Agriculture?s public hall for the ceremony, waiting for caterers to finish cooking the chickens to be used for the event, news broke that some cases of bird flu had been discovered in the state.
The Commissioner of Animal and Forest Resources, Chief Mike Iduma, who broke the unpleasant news, and also announced cancellation of the event, stated that some suspected cases of the bird flu have just been reported in Otukpo, Apa and Ogbadibo local government areas of the state.
Iduma further stated that death of chickens in large numbers has been reported in these areas, noting that samples of the dead chickens have been taken to the Veterinary Research Institute of Nigeria, Vom in Plateau State, for laboratory tests. He said until the outcome of the laboratory tests are known, the chop-chicken carnival remained suspended.
Meanwhile, Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has challenged stakeholders in the health sector to identify the source of bird flu in the country.
In his remarks during the National Workshop for states? directors of public health and veterinary service at the General Hassan Usman Katsina House, Kaduna, the governor said it is necessary to first identify the source of the bird flu disease, before working on how to prevent it.
?There is need to know if the disease came into Nigeria through the importation of birds or from migration of birds into the country,?he said.
He said he was shocked when he heard about the outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria and Kaduna in particular.
However, he said government would double its efforts to ensure that any further spread of the disease in the stateis checked.
He laso appealed to the people of state to assist government by ensuring that they inform the appropriate authorities whenever they discover any dead bird or chicken in their communities.
He also noted that the outbreak of the disease has seriously affected families who operate small poultry farms in their houses.
http://www.independentng.com/news/aremar090601.htm
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