Bird flu: Poultry farmers happy with compensation from government

The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana has welcomed further steps taken by government to ensure that compensation is paid to farmers who lost their birds to the recent bird flu outbreak in Ghana.

After the Food and Agriculture Minister said a request had been made to Cabinet for the compensation, the President of the Association, Michael Nyarko-Ampem, was optimistic that the farmers will receive the support they desire.

He stressed that the goodwill from farmers will be important to the government.

“We trust that they will get the approval from Cabinet and carry it through so that farmers will have the confidence that whatever happens, the government will support them and take care of farmers as well.”

“I am trusting that now that a presentation has been made to cabinet, the whole process will be expedited so that we can get the people who have been affected to be paid,” Mr. Nyarko-Ampem said.

According to the government, the bird flu outbreak has affected nearly 110,000 birds.

Poultry farmers have indicated that their industry is likely to record its severest shock in years because of the outbreak.

Following the recent outbreak, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture announced a total ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from neighbouring countries where the disease has been confirmed.

There is also a ban on the movement of poultry and poultry products within and from the affected regions and districts to other parts of the country.

Outbreaks of bird flu have previously been recorded in Ghana in 2007, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

---citinewsroom