Quelea Birds: FG commences aerial spray in Bauchi

Chief Audu Ogbeh

Ogbeh said that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was conscious of food security, directed the ministry to immediately commence aerial spray to curtail the devastation.

The Federal Government on Thursday commenced aerial spray of insecticides to curb menace of quelea birds and grasshoppers reported in some parts of the Bauchi State.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced this in Bauchi at the launching of the exercise at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi.

Ogbeh, represented by Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Bauchi Office, said the exercise followed reported cases of quelea birds by farmers in the state.

He traced the migration of the quelea birds and grasshoppers from the neighbouring countries which later infiltrated the country.

Ogbeh said that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was conscious of food security, directed the ministry to immediately commence aerial spray to curtail the devastation.

He described the bird as the most common ones found in the sub-Saharan Africa usually having over one million birds in a single flock and was capable of destroying 60 metric tonnes of crops in a day.

Ogbeh said that the aerial spray would protect farmers and their crops and enable them to remain in business.

He commended the Bauchi State Government for assisting in the execution of the programme. The minister warned farmers in the affected areas to be covered by the exercise to cover their food stuff, drinking water and should desist from eating the dead birds.

He urged them to report any case of health hazard resulting from the spray of the chemicals to the nearest health facilities.

Dr. Yusuf Mahmud, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said the state government has released N28 million to support the exercise.

Mahmud said that the scourge was reported in seven Local Government Areas of the state in the last two weeks.

He listed the affected council areas as Gamawa, Zaki, Jama’are, Kirfi, Alkaleri, Shira and Giade Local Government Areas.

The commissioner said that the exercise consists of both the aerial and ground spray, adding that the ground spray would be done after the completion of the aerial spray. He commended the Federal Government for conducting the exercise in good time.

Rwang Pam, the Managing Director, YUMED Air Service, Kaduna, the company handling the exercise, said at the occasion that the last exercise was conducted in 2014 in the state.

Pam described the exercise as “distinguished in nature”, explaining that it was being carried out at the right time when the damage to crops was minimal unlike previous exercises.

Pam said: “In previous exercise we are always called when over 80 per cent of the farmlands have been destroyed and you will see affected farmers frowning.

“But this year, Mr President in his magnanimity and proactive attitude ordered for early commencement of the exercise and hope farmers will smile this year.

“The exercise will last for five days considering the magnitude of the farmlands and areas to be covered.”