By Mercy Gadia Adi
The House of Representatives has moved to investigate the Federal Government over the non-payment of ₦498.7 million in compensation to 307 poultry farmers affected by avian influenza outbreaks between 2021 and 2023.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Livestock Development, Hon. Wale Raji, said the probe forms part of the legislature’s broader plan to reform the livestock sector, strengthen veterinary systems, and ensure transparency in government interventions.
Raji, speaking at a public hearing on six livestock-related bills at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, said the committee was determined to address longstanding gaps that have hindered livestock growth and farmer welfare.
He stated: “This hearing provides an opportunity for stakeholders to make valuable inputs that will support livestock growth, improve productivity, and generate employment.”
According to him, the lawmakers are also “looking into the reasons behind the non-payment of compensation to affected farmers to ensure transparency and justice.”
It was during the hearing that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Chinyere Akujobi, represented by the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Adeniyi Adedoyin, revealed that the government still owes nearly half a billion naira in compensation to affected farmers.
Adedoyin said: “The Federal Government owes ₦498.7 million in unpaid compensation to 307 verified poultry farmers affected by avian influenza between 2021 and 2023.”
He noted that a larger number of farmers had been settled in previous years, with ₦3.16 billion earlier paid to 1,055 poultry farmers affected by previous outbreaks.
However, he confirmed that the latest batch remains unpaid due to funding shortfalls, adding that a recent outbreak in Wukari, Taraba State, led to the culling of 2,050 birds, with compensation yet to be disbursed.
The ministry official explained that compensation for avian influenza has been ongoing since 2006, with ₦630.9 million, ₦674.2 million, ₦1.81 billion, and ₦47 million disbursed across various phases up to 2019.
Current delays, he said, are linked to inadequate budgetary provisions and the absence of a functional Animal Diseases Contingency or Emergency Fund.
Adedoyin said: “Since 2021, there has been no dedicated emergency fund for animal disease response, and most affected farmers lack insurance coverage as required by law.”
He also recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved a revised compensation formula in 2022, stipulating that the Federal Government would pay 50 per cent, states 25 per cent, while farmers contribute the remaining 25 per cent. Only smallholder farmers with fewer than 3,000 birds qualify, as commercial farms are expected to maintain insurance.
One of the bills before the House, sponsored by Hon. Bello Ka’oje, seeks the establishment of the Federal College of Animal Husbandry to enhance capacity building, research, and innovation in livestock production.
Ka’oje said the proposed college would “promote excellence in breeding, animal care, and livestock management,” adding that stronger institutions remain vital for economic diversification and food security.