Representatives from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Greater Accra Veterinary Service Unit, and its development institutions have toured some affected poultry farms affected by bird flu within the Tema and Kpone Katamanso municipalities.
The visit was to assess the situation at the various poultry farms after the bird flu outbreak early this year.
Dr. Anthony Akunzule Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) said soliciting firsthand information from the farmers would help to unravel the real course of the outbreak and how to strategically deal with the situation.
Dr. Akunzule pointed out that poultry farmers needed to adhere to strict security measures to ensure poultry birds were protected from the fatal disease at their farms saying that the bird flu outbreak needed to be managed before it causes mortalities.
According to him, efforts would be made to meet with the affected farmers to sensitize them to ensure good farm practices were observed.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mr. Joseph Kofi Abu, Greater Accra Regional Veterinary Officer stated that, the Government of Ghana, through the Finance Ministry released GHC44 million as compensation to affected farmers across the country.
Mr. Abu revealed that farmers who were affected during the outbreak from 2015 to December 31st, 2020, have received their compensation package from the government.
He noted that the Bird flu was still hovering in the system saying that farmers should take precautionary measures to curb any upsurge in the outbreak.
Mr. Abu hinted that the government would soon pay the next phase of the compensation package to the recently affected poultry farmers.
About 102 poultry farms were hit by the bird flu outbreak early this year.
Source; GNA
