ANTHRAX: MACBAN Call Urgent Vaccination of Livestock

ANTHRAX: MACBAN Call Urgent Vaccination of Livestock

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has called on the federal government to embark on nation-wide vaccination of all livestock in the country against anthrax whose outbreak was reported in Niger and Lagos states in a close succession.

The outbreak even though reported in only two states doesn’t mean it cannot not spread into other states. Anthrax being a zoonotic disease and a national security matter due to it nature of spread and mortality must be treated with all the urgency it deserves. Therefore, the best solution in dealing with the problem, is to embark on nation-wide vaccination exercise.

Nigeria has more than 20 million cattle and 75 million sheep and goat, with various influx of other animals either for trade or transit from our neighbours (Chad, Niger, Ghana, B/Faso, Cameroon, Benin etc)

While We commend the Federal government for the early detection of the anthrax outbreak, we noted that the few risk-based vaccination exercise conducted by government in the outbreak areas does not amount to 2% of the livestock population in Nigeria.

Our members haven lost over three million head of cattle in the ensuing insurgency, banditry and cattle rustling across the states, we are not prepared to incur more.

We therefore appeal to the federal government to take stringent measures to curtail the outbreak of not only anthrax but other livestock diseases like foot and mouth desease that have serious impact on the economic livelihood of our members.

The fact that livestock constitute about 37% of the GDP in Agriculture and which also is a multi- trillion naira business and a source of employment and a potential to create high quality jobs in its value chain should not be allowed to suffer unnecessary shocks.

MACBAN commends the Federal Government in its bid to reform the livestock production system by accepting the recommendations of the Ganduje Committee report Which thought to mitigate conflict between farmers/ herders.

we want to assure the federal government that we will be partners in progress in not only minimizing the farmer/herder conflicts but in taking livestock production to it most desired place in the new administration’s.

The association commend Yobe state government for the procurement anthrax vaccines and other vaccine and the vaccination of all livestock in the state.
We appeal to other state governments to take a cue from Yobe and do the needful to protect their livestock assets .

Baba Othman Ngelzarma
National President