TheCable

New incidences of bird flu have been recorded in Lagos state, with an estimated 60,000 birds already affected.

Olugbenga Ogunsetan, the executive secretary of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Lagos State chapter, confirmed this to NAN on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said that several poultry farms were affected by the avian influenza in Ikorodu area of the state.

“Over 60,000 birds were lost in August after the avian influenza ravaged the farms.

“This has largely affected production of poultry products and leading to price hike in the area.”

Meanwhile, the state government said that it was making arrangement with the federal government for compensation to the affected poultry farmers.

Olajide Basorun, permanent secretary of the state ministry of agriculture, who spoke on the compensation move, corroborated the severity claim by the PAN Scribe.

He told NAN that compensating affected farmers would encourage others, who were afraid to report the case, to come forward.

“The Lagos state government, in collaboration with the federal government, is already thinking of ways to support these farmers whose poultry were affected by the scourge.

“Many economies have shut down because of this avian influenza and these economies have dependants, which mean a lot of people have lost their livelihoods.

“Government is mindful of that and is working out modalities to compensate the farmers so that others, who have the flu and have not reported or are under reporting, will be encouraged to come forward.”

The permanent secretary said that government does not want a scenario were the farmers, who do not report, will sell their birds to unsuspecting public.

He said that where there was a reported case, the ministry had moved swiftly to conduct tests and depopulate such farm.

The permanent secretary also allayed fear of possible spread, saying that the disease has been contained.

Basorun noted that the ministry would continue to encourage poultry farmers to report suspicious cases for proper action.

“We have moved to places where disease has been reported, conduct test and depopulate where the test proved positive.

“We will take the vital statistics of the farm concerned for further action.

There has been shortage of poultry products like eggs and chicken parts in Ikorodu because of the disease.