Poultry Farmer Protests Against Compensation

Space FM, Sunyani, July 23- Mr. Gladstone Damalie, on whose farm the bird flu disease was first detected in Sunyani, has expressed disappointment about the compensation paid him following the destruction of his of 157 birds, including 65 layers, feed concentrate and other farm implements. He said he was not compensated for 170 layers that he had earlier destroyed. He said the officers said compensation would only be paid for birds they had destroyed but added that when he first detected symptoms of the disease on the farm, he reported to the veterinary officers who sent samples to Accra for confirmation. The worried farmer said this when over ¢88 million was paid as compensation to three poultry farmers whose birds and farm implements were destroyed as a result of the outbreak of the bird flu on their farms at Asuokwa, near Sunyani. A total of 1,965 birds were destroyed on the three farms during the outbreak of the flu, whilst more than 500 local poultry suffered the same fate last May. Mr. Abraham Bawuah, had the highest amount of more than ¢60 million for 1,500 birds destroyed, Mr. Charles Kumi had ¢22 million for 500 birds while Mr. Damalie, received a little over ¢ 6million cedis for his birds. Mr. Damalie said the report from Accra took a week and by the time the confirmation came, 170 birds had died. He argued that he should have been compensated for those birds because the order for their destruction came from them. He added that if he had not reported, the situation would have aggravated and its combat would have been difficult.

The Acting Sunyani Municipal Veterinary Officer, Mr. Charles Ghanney, said the compensation is 'a fair deal' for which the farmers should be satisfied with since the government pays for birds that veterinary officers destroy.

He said the panic about the disease has diminished as the situation has been brought under control. Mr. Ghanney advised farmers and residents to continue monitoring events and to quickly report anything unusual on their farms or homes to the vet office. He said the ban on movement of poultry and poultry products within the municipality is still in force and that the office has stepped up security at the borders to check the importation of poultry products.