Umoru Henry
21 July 2006
Abuja — MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai Tuesday ordered for the compensation of Poultry farmers whose Birds were slaughtered at the height of the Avian Influenza (also called Bird Flu) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It will be recalled that some states in the Northern part of the country and the Federal Capital Territory had proven cases of the flu following the first case in Sambawa Farms in Kaduna State.
Disclosing this to Journalists in Abuja, Tuesday, the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), Dr. Awwalu Anwar, who noted that the killer disease has now been completely got rid off completely, he said 206 birds were stamped out from two farms in the Territory after series of tests at the National Veterinary Institute (NVI), Vom in Plateau State.
However, only one of the victims, Alhaji Husseini Sale, was present to sign for his compensation cheque worth N43,750.
He said the Agriculture Secretariat had organized several workshops where poultry farmers have been given adequate training by NVI officials on early detection, control and management of the Avian Flu should it re-occur.
"We've been able to clear all cases of Avian Influenza, also called Bird Flu, in the Federal Capital Territory. The Minister has approved that all those who had proven cases of the Flu on their farms and who cooperated with the administration in stamping out the diseased birds should be compensated to enable them re-stock their farms.?"
"We are happy to announce that there are no new cases and, with what we now know about the flu, we can assure FCT residents that it does not pose any problems", Anwar said.
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