A philanthropist, Isaac Akinkunmi has donated 5,000 doses of anthrax vaccines to Benue State Government.
Akinkunmi said that the donation was to prevent the spread of the disease among animals and humans in the state.
It will be recalled that Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia recently constituted taskforce on the prevention and control of anthrax disease in the State.
Akinkunmi who is the Chief Executive Officer of Tito group of companies based in Makurdi, Benue State capital presented the vaccines to the state taskforce at the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
He explained that the gesture was part of his company’s modest contribution and support to what the state government is doing to avert outbreak of the disease.
Akinkunmi, a former president of Yoruba community in the state appreciated the state governor for taking proactive steps toward ensuring prevention and control of anthrax in and around the state and stated that his company decided to approach National Vertinery Institute Jos, Plateau State for the production of the vaccines to enable the company donate it to the state.
He said, “We are diary company, producers of variety of youghourt operating in the state. We are also into cattle ranching here in the state having embraced ranching as mode of rearing cattle in the state.
“Therefore, it becomes so necessary for us to give back to our host community, hence, this donation. In view of that, we approached Ventinery Institute of Nigeria, Von, Plateau State to procure the vaccines and we are here to donate 5,000 doses of arthrax vaccine to the state government for onward vaccination of cattle to prevent outbreak of arthrax in the State”.
Receiving the vaccines on behalf of the state government, the chairman of the Taskforce on the prevention and control of Anthrax disease in the state, Dr Edward Amali, thanked the management of the Tito group of company for the gesture and assured that the vaccines would be judiciously put to use.
He maintained that the donation of the vaccines would fast track vaccination of animals against anthrax disease in the state, stressing that the taskforce will soon embark on house to house campaign to enlightening people rearing animals in their homes, about the danger of arthrax and to also ensure that the butchers’ sales healthy meat as well as safeguard the livestock sub sector.
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