FG orders poultry owners’ registration against Avian Influenza outbreaks *Association demands action plan*

outbreak of Avian Influenza

In view of the almost yearly outbreak of Avian Influenza across the states of the federation in Nigeria, the Federal government through her Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh has ordered that all the poultry owners through the country must be registered for proper monitoring of bird flu disease.

This position will be part of the policies direction of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) for the year 2016 along some many others that were approved by the Agricultural Council Meeting headed by the Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh together with all the commissioners of the sector from all the states of the federation at Kano last week.

The occurrence of the avian influenza had claimed billion of naira from many poultry farmers in the last one decade with government paying millions as compensation to reduce incidence of losses.

Agriculture Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh giving directive to all the states’ commissioners said this decision of owners’ registration was inevitable in order to save chickens production in the country from bird flu saying the home school feeding programme of the government would be hampered if there were shortage of eggs.

According to the minister “Every poultry farm must be registered in all states, and they must inform the Federal ministry of Agriculture. All of this must be strictly controlled. There will be control team that will be supported with transport. We have everything to checkmate this disease so as to ensure egg availability for the home school feeding programme of the Government. We must do all this check also importation of eggs and chicken into the country. The circular will soon be sent to you for immediate action. Let this message be conveyed to farmers. Especially in the South West, let there be more awareness to better environment to avoid import of eggs”

Although there was an observation made that the checkpoint of the movement control of chickens should not be turned to revenue extortion points so as to avoid giving official practitioners a bad image while poultry environment must be kept in clean manner.

Chief Ogbeh however ordered that the names of all the poultry owners in the federation must be well complied in the next forty five days following the specified process of registration.

In a memorandum submitted at the National Council on Agriculture held at Kano this month, the poultry association of Nigeria was demanding an action plan and road map for a sustainable development of the sub sector based on its revenue contribution the nation’s economy.

The memorandum stated that the current economic worth of the poultry chicken and meat production stands at USD 8 billion  with Nigeria  rated as fifth production nation in Africa contributing 25% of the agricultural gross domestic product (AGDP) despite the high level of smuggling of frozen products into the country.

It was also observed that government has not really sustained the policy of this sub sector despite various programme and policy in the past adding that “ the industry is not receiving the adequate attention and protection it deserves on the issues of  control by the farmers”

The association however recommended the following for the immediate action of the government

·         That the federal government with all sincerity of purpose and action put up strong measure to immediately control, contain and bring to a halt the further decimation of the poultry industry by avian Influenza. In just 12 months ( January 2015-January 2016), the industry has lost over 2.7 million birds principally to the outbreak of Avian Influenza as compared to less than 1.5 million in three years (2006-2009) when we had the first outbreak of avian influenza. The economic, employment and social loss of the above phenomenon is enormous.

·         That the Federal Government should, with deliberate actions intervene to assist poultry farmers to cushion the effect of high cost of production, processing and logistics. The poultry farmers should not be left to bear the brunt and shock of the industry. Incentives to reduce cost of inputs such as maize, soyabeans and micro ingredients should be introduced so as to triple existing production capacities and then create wealth and employment for Nigerians.

·         That the Federal Government should invest heavily on active surveillance to be able to track the virus rather than the virus always ahead of the critical professionals in veterinary and animal fields. Rather than running helter shelter when the industry is being ravaged by disease; there is the urgent need to keep the virus in check constantly. Investments in both passive and inactive surveillance as well as holistic measure adoption is the only sure method to keep animals and health diseases at far arm’ s length.

·         For a quick win poultry production transformation, issue of single digit interest rate on agricultural lending of not more than 5% (five percent) including labour should be engaged as a national policy. Commercial banks should be mandated to lend to agriculture at not more than 5% and on a long term basis for maximum output and return on investments.

·         That the local poultry industry should be protected by ways and measures of maintaining and sustaining the fiscal policy of poultry and poultry products on the import prohibition list. Notwithstanding the high level of poultry products smuggling through the Republic of Benin, no amount of international pressure should make Nigeria lift the ban on importation of poultry products. In the above direction therefore, the Nigeria Custom Service and the Consumers Protection Council (NCS & CPC) should be mandated to step up their anti- smuggling crusade, and wipe out all smuggled poultry products out of the Nigerian markets.

·         That the Federal Government should once more look into the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with Europe and the Common External Tariff (CET) already in use with a view to re viewing the CET and EPA in such a way that Nigeria and the sub-region will not be colonized for the sustenance of the European economy.

·         The issue of multiple taxation on agricultural commodities and products of the poultry industry by the various states Internal Revenue Boards or Agencies be critically looked into by the Joint same vein, poultry products and critical inputs items such as maize, Soya, Groundnut meals and offals should be exempted from the payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) since they fall under “food products Tax Board with the possibility of abolishing all illegal revenue collection agencies or taskforce. The Federal Ministry of Finance and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have great roles to play in this matter.

·         In the same vein, poultry products and critical input items such as Maize, Soya, Groundnut meals and offals should exempted from the payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) since they fall under “Food Products”

·         That there should be a synergy and fiscal incentive strengthening for strong consultation and collaboration among the various organs and agencies of Government and critical stakeholders towards a robust planning, decision making and implementation of government actions. The existing policy ambiguities that tend to create acrimonies among government agencies and the industry operators need to be smoothened and strengthened.

·         That the Federal Government should continue to pay compensation to farmers whose farms are affected by the outbreak of Avian Influenza as it has been the practice all over the world. Current outstanding compensation to farmers should be paid to alleviate the losses and agony of farmers affected by the outbreak.