The Oyo state Butchers Association has said stern warning awaits members who breaks the stipulated guidelines by buying, slaughtering or selling animals suspected to have died of the deadly anthrax disease.
The chairman, Comrade Lateef Olagoke, made the disclosure on Friday, August 25, during a sensitisation programme for stakeholders as parts of government efforts at creating awareness in preventing the deadly animal disease in the state.
The sensitisation was organised for stakeholders in the Oke-Ogun axis of the state and attended by officials of state ministry of agriculture, cattle breeders under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), butchers, traders, veterinary doctors, health officers among others.
The programme held at MACBAN Secretariat, Kara Market, Iseyin.
Speaking, Olagoke thanked the state government for the sensitization, noting that the association came up with the punitive measures so as to discourage members from falling for the temptation of buying such dead animals from the cattle dealers irrespective of the cost.
He added that the association in the state is also well aware of the health implication of the spread of the anthrax disease and the important roles it has to play in the prevention and as such will keep sensitising its members.
The state government at the sensitization workshop also called on residents to join the effort at preventing the disease outbreak by reporting any suspected case of anthrax and other animal diseases in their domain.
In his remarks, the chief Veterinary Medical Officer, a deputy director in charge of Control Post and Cattle Market, Dr Liadi Adeniran, said the government has been to several places sensitising the stakeholders especially cattle breeders and butchers on the anthrax disease.
He reiterated that till date, there is still no record of the disease in the state but the sensitisation is imminent due to the record in neighbouring states.
In a brief lecture, the state Animal Epidemiologist, Dr. Semiu Akibu explained that the outbreak of anthrax in the neigbouring West African Countries, Ghana, Saotome, reported in some states in the country including Niger, Plateau, Kogi and Lagos has called for urgent attention for a healthy living and continued economic performance of the state.
He said anthrax, being a bacteria disease and airborne could pose threats to pig, sheep, goat, cow and other animal health, explaining that the disease could lead to weakness, fever, difficult breathing, blood oozing, when inhaled or ingested.
In his contribution, Oyo State Animal Disease Survelliance Agent, Irepo, Dr. Tunde Adetola assured cattle rearers of readiness of the state government to make available vaccines for the prevention of anthrax both for human and animals
Earlier, the chairman, a former chairman, Oyo state MACBAN, Yakubu Bello appreciated the proactiveness of the state government in tackling diseases, urging the residents to promptly inform the concerned authority when animals are found sick.