From now, it's a By Seye Adeniyi
lic to be wary of their activities because quacks knows nothing about veterinary services. They would only in-
against anirnalsr "
he
warned. Speaking further, the veterinary surgeon said livestock farmers
activities of quacks, while some people often come to verify whether the person they have engaged his / her services for veterinary services was truly a veterinary doctor or fake due to unsatisfactory services such people often render. On how livestock farmers can differentiate between a genuine veterinary doctor and a quack, the former Vice-President, Association of Private Veterinary Medicine Practitioners in both Oyo and Osun States, stated that livestock farmers should be bold enough to ask questions from whoever presented him / herself as a veterinary doctor. He posited that farmers should ask the person if he is a trained and qualified veterinary doctor, the school he attended and if
the verify such claims from a registered veterinary surgeon close to them or from the umbrella body of veterinarians before engaging the services of such an individual. Dr Anonye said, a quack's approach to treat some animal diseases would be different from that of a professional. "For instance, when it comes to the treatment of a disease like fowl pox in poultry, a quack would give the vaccine via intra-muscular, whereas, the vaccination is usually done through the wing web. But I tell you, a profeSSional would never make that mistake", he posited. Also speaking on the determination of veterinary doctors in the country to curb the activities of quacks, the President, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Oyo State branch,
Dr Remi Egunyinka, said the association was now better positioned and ready to confront quacks whom he described as shafts among the adding that they won't open their eyes and allow quacks to tarnish their image. "These people have deceived many Nigerians for long, especially poultry farmers, forcing many of them to loose confidence in the business. But, I want to assure people that livestock business is good and profitable, but quacks are discouraging many farmers. Quacks can cause a lot of damages to both animals and the owners. In fact, many farmers are in debt today because of wrong advice and services from
quack. Therefore, we can no longer tolerate their • Farmers should engage the service of professionals in the management of their devilish and anti-ecoanimals acti vities," he from livestock fanners, es- . flict pains on farmers and pecially poultry farmers in the country, on activities of fake veterinaty doctors, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has performance. It was vowed to clamp down on encouraging and OR the umpteenth quacks. commensurated with time, the chairman, To make good its threats, what was physically on House of ground", the lawmaker some veterinary surgeons Representatives Committee added. have notified members of on Agriculture, He also spoke on the the public, especially live- Honourable Gbenga major challenges of the stock farmers on the readi- Makanjuola, has. institutes, which he said ness of NVMA to wage a commended research war on fake veterinary doc- institutes, and Federal was the timely release of tors and drag anybody Colleges of Agriculture in fund from the fuderatiort caught impersonating them Ibadan and Akure, adding account, streSSing that this was not peculiar to to the lawcourt. that they are sources of alone,: but· A member of NVMA in encouragement to the them happening in other Oyo State, Dr Fidelis committ~ on the judiciOUS sectors of the cOuntry. Annonye, in an interview use of the money "We have tried to. with Tribune Agriculture, appropriated to them. assure' them that. the Honourable Makanjuola National· Assembly in explained that there w'!s an urgent need to curb activi- made the comment during collaboration with. the ties of quacks, stressing that an interactive session with executive arm of the these people had been ob- research institutes and government was trying to served to be going round the colleges of agricUJture in the rectify this anomaly. This country deceiving unsus- South-West when the is a situation whereby committee was in Ibadan, pecting livestock farmers. a fiscaltoyear, they Ma1canjuola ~~~:~~~~~~~:~:~;:::~:::~~::~::~ According to him, "we Oyo State, to perform its within were unable complete can't fold our arms and al- overSight funtions in most of the proposed beedsoE1f!St!a1.'chinstitu.tes dw::ingthemmmitlEe's visitto theNational monitoring how the budget low quacks to tarnish the projects . However, in.; Horticultural Research Institute (N1HOR1J. .lbadari, Oyo Stall!. appropriated for 2010 image of our profession. ord~r not to make those cornmittee assesses the Agriculture, Akure, Ondo National Horticultural projects was utilised. Many livestock fanners had aband~:med concept, then, there would State, Dr Mary Odukoya, Research Institute The session was held at projects fallen victims of these the premises of the National work, the National be an opportunity to said she found the (NIHORT), Dr Ademola quacks and many poultry Horticultural Research Assembly formally assess the fund and I was interactive session Idowu, whose institute that the told. by the Executive interesting as she was able hosted themeetin'g,Sat'd the farmers had been pushed Institute (NIHORT), approved . 1 ' f 2010 unp ementatlon 0 . . Secretary of the to showcase what the interactive session on the into debt by their unprofes- Ibadan, Oyo State. sional activities. "When the National budget should extend to Agriculture Research college had been able to appropiation for the 2010 . Council of Nigeria (ARCN) achieve." budget had. been the best so Quacks, have also sent Assembly makes an input March, 2011. On the usual. cut In that so far, Nlbillion had Though our budget far,evenfromthecomments many livestock fanners out and you see the output in the budget of research been released from the was slashed wewereable f th committee's of business, while some research institutes, then e have been forced to aban- there is value for money. institutes and what the pool. This means it is the to use the little we were ~~~ant to appreciate don the livestock business We also undertook cOmmittee was d~ing so level of their performance given judiciously", she the fact that this had greatly because of bad experience physical assessment of that res~arch ~orks that would determine the stated. Dr Odukoya, a major improved, but we are some. of their projects and could continue to al<!. the amount they can assess. they had with them." We are therefore appeal- one can see that the way dev;el0,Pment of the We areaiso looking at ways problem for the college pleading that the remaining natton B, • agr{~ulturaI we can make them self- ':Vas .fund and it~. timely' amount be released as at ing to members of the pub- they presen ted their budget Hon.· sU5tain}hg In terms of release, adding that things when due" he concluded. implementation' and .development,
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