The Federal Executive Council in Nigeria has approved thirteen million naira for the purchase of insecticides for pest control in States affected by quiller birds.
Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono made this known while briefing Journalists on the outcome of this week’s cabinet meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the approval also covers purchase of drugs for the treatment of animal diseases like rabies.
“One memo from the federal Ministry of Agriculture and that was on pest control, animal diseases like rabies, lung diseases, liver diseases, as well as quiller birds that have been disturbing farmers especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.
“Infact in all this there are 12 frontline states that are being affected by quiller birds, grasshoppers, which have started protruding the North-West and in the North-East,” Nanono said.
The Agriculture Minister said the prevalence of rabies has risen quite substantially with even death in some cases.
“These are matter that the federal government has taken very serious and has approved an intervention fund of N13.9 billion for these,” he said.
The Minister who also gave his ministry’s scorecard to the Federal Executive Council, announced that government intends to recruit 75, 000 extension workers in the next two years, to boost agricultural activities across the country.
Source: VON
