...Reiterates Commitment to Boost Animal Health Services, Increase Livestock Productivity

Gombe State Government has received four hundred thousand (400,000) doses of Anthrax Spore Vaccines (ASV) as part of its efforts to strengthen animal health services in the state under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES).

Presenting the vaccines to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Cooperatives (Ministry) on behalf of the state government, Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Usman, Animal Health Technical Officer representing the L-PRES National Project Coordinator, Alhaji Sanusi Abubakar, said the vaccines were produced based on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by the National Veterinary Research Institute Vom (NVRI) with support from the National L-PRES Project.

He highlighted the importance of the delivery to Gombe State, a major livestock producer in the country, saying, the vaccines will significantly support livestock production in the state.

“The overall objective is to support the efforts of the State Government and the Gombe L-PRES Project in improving animal health services and further strengthening food security,” Dr. Usman explained.

Receiving the vaccines on behalf of the Hon Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr Barnabas Malle, Director of Veterinary Services in the ministry, Dr. Makeri Aminu Joseph expressed appreciation to the L-PRES Project for the gesture.  He said the vaccines will be instrumental in complementing the state government’s efforts to revitalize the livestock sector and control cattle diseases.

Gombe State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Prof. Usman Bello Abubakar, represented by Dr. Mohammed Umar Yuguda, Animal Health Officer to the Project, and Dr. Dauda Mishel, Project Assistant, expressed satisfaction with the development.

Dr. Yuguda said the vaccines would help promote animal health, maximize productivity, and generate revenue for both livestock farmers and the state government.

Since its commencement last year, the Gombe State L-PRES Project has conducted training sessions for staff and stakeholders, renovated abattoirs, earth dams and held several engagement meetings with stakeholders to revitalize the long-neglected livestock sector in Gombe State.