The Federal Government has commenced immediate compensation to all farmers affected by Avian Influenza, known as bird flu.

This is just as the government announced that the outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, has spread to 11 states of the federation. The states are: Lagos, Kano, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Imo and Jigawa, Ogun, Rivers, Delta and Oyo.
The compensation is to be paid within this week.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, disclosed this in Abuja during an emergency meeting with state Commissioners on the control of the virus.

The Minister directed that compensation to all affected farms, whose birds were destroyed, to be effected within 72 hours.
Adesina said the compensation would be paid to all 39 affected farms across the states at the rate of N1, 450 per bird.

The states are Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Imo, Oyo and Jigawa state
According the minister, a total of 232,385 birds have been exposed with a mortality rate of 51,444 recorded.

The Minister noted that with the increasing number of affected states, birds exposed and the level of mortality, it has become necessary to trigger additional emergency measures to rapidly contain the spread of the virus.

He however called for an intensified surveillance, depopulation, quarantine and decontamination of the infected farms and live birds markets.

While assuring the public that the country was not facing an epidemic, Adesina said poultry products were still safe for consumption.