Benue Distributes 70,000 Doses Of Vaccine To Strengthen Livestock Sector

The Benue State Government has distributed transboundary animal disease vaccines valued at over 70,000 doses to Divisional Livestock Officers (DLOs) across the state.

It would be recalled that the State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, had received a consignment of vaccines to combat major livestock diseases.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, “the intervention package included 50,000 doses of Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP) vaccine, 20,000 doses of Newcastle Disease (NCD) vaccine, and 500 doses of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine”

The 23 DLOs and other officers received the vaccines during a courtesy call on the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Benjamin Ashaver, in Makurdi, where key issues affecting Livestock Services were also discussed.

Speaking during the visit, State Director of Livestock Services, Dr Amase Gabriel, urged the officers to remain committed and diligent in the discharge of their duties, emphasising the importance of professionalism in achieving the desired impact.

Addressing the 23 DLOs and other officers, the commissioner, Dr Benjamin Ashaver, assured them that several requests have already been forwarded to Governor Hyacinth Alia and relevant development partners to address the challenges in the livestock sector.

Ashaver further stated that plans were underway to rehabilitate and reactivate abattoirs across the state, adding that Governor Alia was also working to restructure quarantine services by placing them in the hands of qualified professionals.