Kebbi targets 10m livestock for vaccination

Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi, on Saturday, said the state government has targeted 10 million livestock for vaccination against zoonosis.

He stated this at the inauguration of the Annual Animals Vaccination exercise at Hutawa, a Fulani settlement near Birnin Kebbi.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida, the governor said that cattle, sheep and goats would be vaccinated against Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (CBPP), Pest des Petit Ruminant (PPR), Diarrhea of (small ruminants), and Newcastle disease (NCD).

He said the exercise was meant to support the pastoralists and other livestock breeders across the state.

The governor assured the livestock owners of the readiness of his administration to provide them with necessary tools to boost production.

He said that similar exercise would be carried out in the remaining local government areas of the state, adding that: “Kebbi State is second interms of livestock business, as such the present administration is ready to support farming and other agricultural activities in the state.”

Earlier, Dr Ahmad Umar-Ambursa, Permanent Secretary, Kebbi State Ministry of Animal Health Husbandary and Fisheries, said the programme was being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Department of Verterinary and Pest Control Services.

He said the federal government had provided vaccines for the programme to 36 states of the federation, adding that, “due to the high number of livestock in Kebbi State, its own share of the vaccines will only cover 25 per cent of animals.

According to him, the state has about 10 million livestock comprising cattle, goats and sheep.

“The state has been blessed with three million cattle, 3.357 million goats and 3.115 million sheep.

“The State Ministry of Animal Health has evolved appropriate strategies to vaccinate animals of nomads without permanent settlement,” he said.

He, therefore, urged pastoralists to embrace the programme and cooperate with veterinary workers to ensure that their animals remain healthy.

“This is imperative because human health is interwoven with animal health with regard to the healthy condition of meat for consumption”.

Also, the Community Leader of Hutawa, Anguwar Gagga, Dikko Aliyu Hakimin Gubuji, thanked the governor for placing premium on livestock development and improving animal health in the state.

He pledged to educate his people to mobilise participation to facilitate successful conduct of the exercise.