FG Builds 21 Veterinary Hospitals in 21 States to Boost Livestock Production, Food Security

Fidelis David in Akure

The federal government has constructed 21 model veterinary hospitals across 21 states of the federation as part of efforts to strengthen animal healthcare, enhance food security and boost livestock productivity.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this yesterday during the inauguration of one of the hospitals in Ondo Town, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Maiha said the initiative was designed to reposition Nigeria’s livestock sector as a major driver of national economic growth, food security, employment generation and sustainable livelihoods.

He explained that the hospitals were constructed and equipped under the World Bank-supported Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), adding that the Federal Government planned to extend similar interventions to the remaining 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“These hospitals are dear to President Bola Tinubu, with plans to extend similar interventions to the remaining 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Very soon, every local government will have one fully functional veterinary clinic. Mr President’s directive is that veterinary services should be running after the farmers, staying ahead of their needs, and not the other way round.

“We are conscious of this, and we are bringing these facilities to the last mile. Our vision is to ensure that veterinary services are not confined to government facilities but are accessible to farmers wherever production and commercial activities take place,” he said.

The minister urged state governments to strengthen their veterinary workforce through the recruitment and deployment of more veterinarians and other animal health professionals.

He lamented the shortage of veterinary doctors in the country, saying Nigeria currently had one veterinary doctor to every 10,000 animals, a situation he described as unacceptable.

“Today, we have one veterinary doctor to 10,000 animals. That is not acceptable. We must reduce the number.

“We want good meat. We want healthy meat. We also want to access the international red meat market. We must reduce our disease burden and control all zoonotic diseases,” Maiha said.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Dr Samuel Abubakar, said the facilities were established to expand access to quality veterinary services and bring professional animal healthcare closer to livestock farmers across the country.

Abubakar said the project was being implemented through national and state project coordination offices to improve livestock production, animal healthcare and marketing.

He described the modern livestock market inaugurated alongside the veterinary hospital as a strategic investment in the livestock value chain, noting that it would create economic opportunities for farmers, transporters and processors.

“The modern livestock market is a strategic investment in the value chain, and the facilities will create economic opportunities for farmers, transporters and processors,” he said.

Also speaking, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa commended the Federal Government, describing the project as evidence of effective collaboration between the federal and state governments towards transforming the livestock sector.

Aiyedatiwa, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Leye Akinola, urged farmers, traders and other stakeholders to maximise the opportunities provided by the veterinary hospital and the modern livestock market.

He said the facilities would stimulate commercial activities, improve market access and create better economic opportunities for livestock farmers, while delivering greater benefits to the host community and the state.

Similarly, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, applauded the Federal Government for siting the veterinary hospital in the ancient town.

The monarch assured that measures would be put in place to ensure the proper maintenance of the facility and sustain the objectives of the Federal Government.

The minister also inaugurated other projects executed under L-PRES in Ondo State, including an Artificial Insemination Centre in Akure.

Other projects inaugurated were a 50,000-litre-capacity solar-powered borehole with water trough at Asejere Farm Settlement in Ile-Oluji Local Government Area, as well as Phase One and Two of a similar 50,000-litre-capacity solar-powered borehole facility with water trough at Adofure Pig Cluster in Akure.