The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association of Nigeria (NVMA) has urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to conclude its payment of compensation to 339 poultry farms.
The National President of NVMA, Dr Sunday Edgar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said the that the farms were among the 437 affected in the latest Avian Influenza outbreak across the country.
“The ministry depopulated 1.5 million birds in 437 farms and one zoological garden in 18 states.
“Out of them, the Ministry paid compensation to 38 farms and one zoological garden leaving out 399 farms not compensated,’’ he said
Edgar said that the payment of compensation to the remaining farms was critical toward eradicating the disease as it would encourage others to report fresh cases in their farms.
He said this first category of farmers got compensation amounting to N130 million, at the rate of N1, 450 per bird, for the depopulation of the affected birds.
“The mode of payment was done after depopulation which entailed; collecting from the farmers the figures of the depopulated birds through filling forms.
“ The government officials then paid the compensation into the 38 farms’ account directly after they had concluded their verifications.
“In the second and third batches affected, the Ministry sent a team to the affected farms; depopulated the birds and eggs without paying them compensation,’’ he said.
Edgar alleged that in spite of the reduction in the unit-price compensation from N1, 450 to N750 initially announced by the past Minister, Dr
Akinwumi Adesina, majority of the farms were not paid.
“The Federal Government then decided that it was going to pay N500 as compensation per bird while the state government will provide N250 to make up the figure so that the budget will not be solely borne by the l Federal Government,’’ he said.
Edgar, however, said that the association had begun to compile a new list of affected farms.
He urged the Federal Government to verify those claims and pay them their necessary compensation as promised since government is continuous.
“Since we have not yet eradicated the disease, it is possible some poultry farmers may experience the outbreak but will refuse to report such cases because of their past experiences in relating with government.’’
The Federal Government should verify those claims and then pay to make effective way of eliminating the disease, he said.
“In 2006, when we had an outbreak, it was curtailed and was eradicated. We can still do so,’’ Edgar said.
He said the government could still work with the technical committee set up on avian influenza in 2006 to curtail the further spread disease and handle the situation in good time.
A source at the Ministry told NAN that it actually agreed to pay N1, 450 per bird killed to control further spread of bird flu.
The source said, “After paying the first batch on the affected birds, the ministry could no longer sustain N1,450; saying it could only afford to pay N750 per bird.
“This is because some poultry farmers, who were not affected by the flu, began to depopulate their farms as they expected to be compensated by the government then,’’ the source said.
(NAN)
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