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…Says Firm has Lost N50m Worth Of Day-Old Chicks
IBADAN- An Ibadan-based hatchery, The Best Line Hatchery has lamented the bad treatment the company experienced in the hands of security agents, resulting into the loss of over N50 million naira from the death of several day-old chicks supposedly to be transported to other parts of the country.
The Managing Director of the company, Reverend Tunde Owolabi made the disclosure on Tuesday evening while addressing Journaliss at the company’s premises in Ibadan.
The company expressed dismay over attitude of the men of Police force that hinder their movement which resulted in the loss millions worth of day-old chicks.
Owolabi explained that some police officers had on Monday evening allegedly stopped no fewer than 20 buses conveying the day-old chicks to other parts of the country from Ibadan.
He said that the policemen had stopped their vehicles at Podo area of Ibadan and returned them on the claim of a new directive from the federal government.
According to him, “We trust God that with all effort that is on ground, COVID-19 should be a thing of the past very soon. But by the time this problem is over, there is going to be a looming danger of scarcity of farm and poultry produce.”
“Hunger problem is far far greater in dimension compared to the danger COVID-19 poses. The number of birds that is involved today is alarming.”
“We have about 20 buses that are affected today and in each of these we have about 8,000 to 10,000 birds.The monetary value is huge. We are talking about over N50million worth of birds.”
Owolabi wondered when the Federal Government ordered policemen not to allow movement of agriculture produce to other parts of the country as essential products.
“It is rather unfortunate that these our birds were returned last night. Birds are meant to travel at the cool hours of the day and that is the reason you see us travel in the night.”
“Our drivers have the passes. As you can see with me here, we have all the documents from Poultry Association of Nigeria and from Ministry of Agriculture. Each of the drivers carry the papers.”
“We are appealing to the Federal Government, we are appealing to the state government to continuously give us free passage for all our drivers,” he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Asimiyu Oyetunde, the Chairman, Day Old Chicks Merchant Association of Nigeria, expressed bitterness over the attitude of the security agencies despite having all valid documents issued by the association, both Federal and State Ministry of Agriculture covering them from moving their products to other states of the country.
He maintained that a larger portion of the day-old chicks died as a result of the hindrance, saying the loss was over N50 million naira.
“All our effort to make sure they move yesterday proved abortive because none of them even answered us. They said that was the new order which we are not informed.”
“We have many papers from the federal ministry of Agriculture, Governor’s Forum, Oyo State Government and the Inspector General of Police to prove that agricultural produce have free passage in any part of the country,” he said.
Also, Mr Gbemisoye Agboola, the Oyo State Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), expressed sadness over the huge loss caused by the security personnel who acted contrary to the directives.
However, Mr Gbenga Fadeyi, the State Police Public Relations Officer, told newsmen that he was yet to be briefed on the matter.
Fadeyi assured that the issue would be investigated as soon as they gets the brief.
Read Original Report Here By Independent
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