Following a renewed outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria, the Ghanaian Government said it is taking steps to temporarily ban the importation of poultry products from Nigeria into Ghana.
This move, according to the Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture will help prevent a possible outbreak of the disease in Ghana.
An outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Nigeria has spread to 21 commercial farms in seven different states, with more than 140,000 birds having been exposed to the virus, the agriculture minister; Akinwumi Adesina had confirmed recently.
He said the deadly virus had arrived in Lagos, in the southwest, and Kano, in the north, last week, even as he added that it had now spread to five other states across the country: Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Plateau.
Around 100,000 of the birds exposed were in Kano, Adesina said.
"All the farms have been quarantined and decontaminated. Other locations in Ikorodu, Ojo and Lagos Mainland have already been quarantined, while awaiting confirmation," he said.This move, according to the Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture will help prevent a possible outbreak of the disease in Ghana.
An outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Nigeria has spread to 21 commercial farms in seven different states, with more than 140,000 birds having been exposed to the virus, the agriculture minister; Akinwumi Adesina had confirmed recently.
He said the deadly virus had arrived in Lagos, in the southwest, and Kano, in the north, last week, even as he added that it had now spread to five other states across the country: Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Plateau.
Around 100,000 of the birds exposed were in Kano, Adesina said.
"Nigeria will successfully control the bird flu outbreak. We have successfully controlled it in the past," he added.
But, reports from Ghana’s Ministry of Agriculture suggest that the country has moved in against bird importation from Nigeria.
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in Ghana; Dr. Hannah Bissiw indicated that the ministry will hold a meeting to implement the temporary ban until the Organization for Animal Health (OIE) clears Nigeria of the disease.
She said: “We will meet to ensure that any form of trade in terms of poultry, eggs or anything that relates to poultry is banned for the time being until the situation in Nigeria is put under control,” she said.
She however indicated that government will put in place adequate measures to ensure that, “our borders are protected” against the disease.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/bird-flu-alert-ghana-ban-importation-nigerian-poultry
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