Speech By Hon Deputy Minister For Food & Agricultue

Statement Delivered By The Hon. Deputy Minister For Food And Agriculture In Charge Of Livestock, Madam Anna Nyamekye (MP) On The Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Situation In Ghana During A Press Briefing Session On Wednesday 26^th September, 2007 At The Ministry Of Information Conference Room, Accra

Mr Chairman,

Minister of State,

Members of Parliament,

The Diplomatic Corps,

Directors of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture,

Directors of the Ministry of Health,

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen.

On the 2nd of May 2007 you were invited here to be informed of the first outbreak of Avian Influenza in Ghana. The outbreak occurred on a small-scale poultry farm on 24th April, 2007 within the Tema Municipality.

Further Intensive surveillance revealed four more infected farms in the Tema area. While we were still fighting the outbreak in Tema, the disease was found in Asuokwa in the Sunyani Municipality on 21st May 2007. Then on 12th June 2007 it was detected on another small scale poultry farm in Aflao in the Ketu District of the Volta Region.

In all these cases, very swift action including the destruction of all birds, feed and materials likely to be contaminated with the virus on the farms were destroyed, burnt and buried. The farms were thoroughly disinfected at least twice by the staff of the Veterinary Services and were put under very strict quarantine.

As stated on 2nd May 2007, Ghana has the laboratory capacity to confirm Avian Influenza. All these cases mentioned above were confirm by the Accra Veterinary Laboratory and the Noguchi Memorial for Medical Research. Further confirmation was done at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Cairo and the World Organisation for Animal Health/FAO and National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease in Padova, Italy.

As at the time of the resolution of all the cases, 13.371 birds had died and 27,356 birds destroyed as part of our control measures.

However, I am happy to inform you that all farmers whose birds had to be destroyed have been paid reasonable compensation at rates agreed upon by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Poultry Development Board as follows:

Class of Bird	Market price in Cedis	Percentage payable	Amount payable
parents
broilers	120,000	90%	108,000
Laver	90,000	90%	81,000
Commercial
Layers	50,000	85%	43,000
Broilers	55,000	85%	44,000
Turkey	500,000	85%	400,000
Duck	30,000	70%	21,000
Guinea fowl	30,000	70%	21,000
Table eggs	1000 per eggs	50%	500
Fertile eggs	3000 per eggs	60%	1,800
Day-old chicks(Broilers)	7000	90%	6,500
Day-old chicks (layers)	11,000	90%	10,000

For farmer in the tema area a total amount of 1,381,402,156 (One million three hundred and two thousand, one hundred and fifty-six old Ghana cedis) were paid as compensation for those in the Sunyami area an amount of 113741500 one thirteen millions seven hundred and fourty one thousand five hundred cedis was paid for those in the Aflao Area? 10063400 .One hundred million six hundred thirty four thousand cedis was paid.

Bookmark/Search this post with: