NDE moves to curtail bird flu in Plateau

bird flu

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has taken yet another step to address the challenges posed by the re-occurring outbreak of the avian influenza virus (bird flu) with the strategic need to keep farmers in profitable business, grow the animal industry and mitigate job loss caused by close-down and clean-out of farmers affected by zoonotic diseases.


This initiative formed the theme at the opening of the training workshop on Bio-safety, Bio-security and Biological Risk Management for Small-holder Livestock Farmers held in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Wednesday.

The training which focuses on germs control is to ensure that necessary precautions are taken to protect the population and the environment, with particular reference to those that causes zoonotic (transmitted disease from animal to man) and readily communicable diseases.

Speaking at the event, the state coordinator of NDE, Mr. Steven Ndaks, who was represented by Mr. Cyril Offiong, noted that the grave economic consequence posed by Bird Flu to poultry farmers will in turn affect economic development if not giving adequate attention.

He, however, stated that the training has been professionally packaged to deliver a seven modular black training programme to seventy-five small holder farmers, stating that the participants are expected to be exposed to critical issues in biological risk management assessment, formulation of appropriate bio-security plans for different classes of livestock and the implementation of these plans on their farms at moderate cost including steps to take in times of disease outbreak.