Bird -flu hits Kano

Agriculture Minister - Audu Ogbeh

The Kano State government said it would soon begin disinfection of all poultry farms and markets as part of measures to curb the spread of the recent outbreak of bird flu in the state.

The Director, Veterinary services of the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Shehu Bawa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Kano.

Bawa said already, the state government had approved certain amount of money to the department for the procurement of more disinfectants and as soon as they arrived, the department would use it to disinfect all poultry and market premises to check the spread of the disease.

"We are lucky since the disease resurfaced about one month ago, only two farms in Kumbotso Local Government Area were infected with the disease," he said, adding that the department had also stepped up surveillance in all markets with a view to preventing people from selling infected birds to unsuspecting members of the public.

On compensation, Bawa said that the federal government had promised to pay all those farmers affected by the disease in 2014/2015 and 2015 /2016.

He said the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made the promise during a meeting he held with 36 commissioners of Agriculture and directors of Veterinary Services in Abuja this week.

He disclosed that modalities were also being worked out for payment of affected farmers in the future.

Over 9,000 birds have so far been killed since the disease resurfaced in the state on December 15.