Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has said recent trans-border animal diseases, including bird flu, is hampering the progress made in the agric sector.
He said the government’s agenda, Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), is being negatively affected by the outbreaks and it was time for the diseases to be fought outright.
The minister, speaking at a news conference yesterday said that the outbreaks “are threatening government’s agenda of attaining self-sufficiency in meat production by 2025 as envisioned under the Rearing for Food and Jobs programme.”
He said the outbreaks occurred in 10 out of the sixteen regions between December 2021 to January 2022 and it has affected over 700,000 animals.
The minister said the government is not relenting in its effort to put measures in place to curb the spread of the diseases.
He also said that there is currently a ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from other affected countries.
“The government has taken the necessary steps to update the existing 1960 Animal health Act by finalising a new bill for introduction into Parliament this year,” he said, adding “once in effect, the updated Act will empower the ministry to regulate the industry. Among the proposals of the bill is the regulatory authority to certify poultry and livestock farms and enforcement of sanctions such as the closure of farms of recalcitrant farmers in this country.”
By Daniel Bampoe