Ag. President intervenes in Poultry challenges

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

The Poultry Association of Nigeria last week met with Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the need to speedily intervene in the challenges of the chicken production with payment of compensation to its members affected by the avian influenza outbreak of 2015.

Led by Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, the Poultry Association of Nigeria had presented to the Acting President, Prof. Osinbajo its challenges saying  “ the poultry industry has had to contend with a number of challenges including an outbreak of Avian influenza which affected almost 4 million birds in 2015, non-allocation of foreign exchange for the importation of needed machinery and other critical inputs, and high production costs in the industry”

In his submission to the acting president, Dr. Oduntan pointed out that poultry presently contributes 25% of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product of the Nigerian economy amounting to N1.6 trillion adding that Nigeria is rated as an egg-producing nation in Africa, and number4 poultry meat producer in the continent.

Having met with the poultry association, Prof. Osinbajo later summoned a meeting with the relevant agencies and their ministers towards proffering a solution.This was stated in a statement issued by the Senior Adviser(Media) to the vice president, Mr. Laolu Akande. 

Prof. Osinbajo was  quoted as saying “the poultry industry is a local industry that needs to be protected urgently with specific measures and consideration by the federal government. By supporting the local industry, poultry related importation which is currently a drain on the country’s foreign exchange could be a thing of the past”

Present at the meeting according to the statement, were Finance minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, FMARD, Minister  of State, Heineken Lokpobiri, Comptroller General, Customs, Col. Hammed Ali, (rtd), and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

It will be recalled that in January-February edition, Food farm News had reported the Minister of FMARD, Chief Audu Ogbeh as saying non availability of disaster fund has hindered the compensation of poultry farmers affected by the 2015 avian influenza saying effort would be made to ensure payment by meeting with the Mr. President and state governors.