FG inaugurates National Strategic Documents

By Doris Esa

The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Strategic Documents for the Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs).

These documents are focused on containing Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, African Trypanosomiasis and Tick-Borne Diseases, and Foot and Mouth Diseases in cattle.

Others are Peste Des Petits Ruminants in sheep and goats, African Swine Fever in pigs and Newcastle disease in chickens, among others.

Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who inaugurated the seven documents said TADs accounted for more than N29 billion in annual losses in Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector.

Osinbajo who was represented by Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that the strategic documents were developed in line with the priority accorded to the agricultural sector by the federal government.

“As we may be aware, transboundary animal diseases are one of the most economically devastating diseases of livestock in the West and Central Africa sub-region.

“In Nigeria, it is responsible for more than 29 billion naira losses annually in the livestock sub-sector.

“Through mortality, morbidity and trade restrictions on Nigeria occasioned by the endemicity of some of these diseases in the country,” he said.

According to Osinbajo, the strategic documents had received wide stakeholders’ inputs and contributions before validation.

He expressed the hope that the seven strategic documents would be used for the good of the livestock industry in Nigeria and humanity in general.