Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, Minister of Food and Agriculture, has stated that the government is taking strict measures to contain the spread of the H5N1 avian virus, commonly known as Bird Flu.
He said that the virus, which first appeared in July, has infected almost 110,000 birds.
The flu was discovered by the Veterinary Services Directorate in the Greater Accra, Central, Ashanti, Western North, and Volta Regions.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto, speaking at a press conference organized by the Information Ministry, said that the Veterinary Services Department was doing all possible to manage the issue.
The veterinary services, despite having insufficient personnel, are doing everything necessary to control the disease and prevent it from spreading further.
The minister also alluded to an urgent appeal to Cabinet for compensation for impacted chicken producers.
“Farmers are looking for compensation, and we are doing a very urgent request to Cabinet to meet that requirement,” Dr. Afriyie Akoto said.
The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association has expressed confidence that compensation requests would be fulfilled.
Poultry producers have predicted that the sector would suffer its worst shock in years.
The disease spread when comparable instances were discovered in neighboring countries in January 2021.
Bird Flu cases were previously reported in Ghana in 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2018.
Following the current outbreak, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture declared a complete ban on the importation of poultry and chicken products from neighboring countries where the disease’s presence has been verified.
A restriction on the movement of poultry and poultry products within and from afflicted areas and districts to other parts of the nation, as well as rigorous inspection and issuing of licenses for the transportation of all poultry and poultry products from unaffected parts of the country, has been imposed.
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