REPS MOVE TO BOOST LIVESTOCK SECTOR, PROBE UNPAID BIRD-FLU FUNDS
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The House of Representatives has renewed efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of unpaid compensation for farmers affected by bird-flu outbreaks.
Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development, Wale Raji, said the National Assembly is working on reforms to strengthen the livestock sector and support training and research under the National Livestock Transformation Plan.
Raji noted that lawmakers are also probing why verified poultry farmers have yet to receive their compensation.
According to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the government still owes ₦498.7 million to 307 farmers affected between 2021 and 2023, despite earlier payments totaling over ₦3.16 billion to previous victims. Officials linked the delay to funding shortages and the absence of an emergency animal-disease fund.
A revised compensation model now requires the Federal Government to fund 50%, states 25%, and farmers 25%, with eligibility limited to smallholder farmers unless commercial farms are insured.
Sponsor of one of the bills, Bello Ka’oje, said the proposed Federal College of Animal Husbandry will help drive innovation and specialized training in the sector.