The Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipal Assembly in the Western North Region has engaged poultry farmers in the area, to find feasible solutions to combat the recent outbreak of pathogenic avian influenza killing several birds in the country.
So far, about five regions in Ghana, including Greater Accra, have been affected by the avian flu according to Veterinary Services Directorate.
The stakeholders meeting, held in the Bibiani Municipality on Tuesday, August 31, included personnel from the office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and veterinary services together with poultry farmers within the area.
Speaking at the meeting, Western North Regional NADMO Coordinator, Mr. Samuel Adu-Adjei, told Angel FM’s reporter, Kofi Gyabaah, that this situation is a threat to national security.
He asked farmers to frequently report any abnormal signs portrayed by their birds to the appropriate quarters when the need arises.
The NADMO Coordinator also urged the poultry farmers to be proactive enough to vaccinate their birds regularly with antiviral drugs as precautionary measures.
Municipal Chief Executive for Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai, Alfred Amoah, noted that the influenza outbreak in the municipality is a worrying situation.
He stated that the Municipal Emergency Health Committee has taken samples from some affected poultry farms to determine their status for further action.
The MCE also revealed that over 2,000 poultry birds have been lost as a result of the disease outbreak that hit four farms in the area.
One of the poultry farmers expressed frustration that “600 of my birds were killed by the disease so I am pleading with the government to assist me”.
Another farmer who lost about two hundred birds pleaded with authorities to come to their aid since they had gone for loans to invest in their farming business.
In the meantime, the Agric Minister, Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, has given assurances that the government is taking necessary measures to contain the spread of the bird flu in the country.
