NAQS laments insufficient funding, manpower

The Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) has bemoaned the insufficient funding and lack of adequate manpower hindering it from carrying out its operations.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the director, Animal Quarantine, Dr Abiodun Akinjo, said the agency has only 30 veterinary officers, among other personnels, to man over 52 border posts across the country.

Dr Akinjo said that this is grossly inadequate and is affecting the operations of the agency to a great extent.

He said: “We have over 52 border stations all over the country, but we cannot meet up with the number because we have to seek the approval to go ahead and employ more.

“We cannot adequately cover these areas, but what we are doing at the moment is to make sure that every entry and exit point has at least a veterinary doctor and other personnel like animal husbandry and livestock development officers among others.

“However, there is need for veterinary doctors to oversee all these categories of officers, and these are also not sufficient.

“We operate 24-hour services through morning, afternoon and night shifts, but to be able to do this effectively, we need adequate manpower. Therefore, we have serious need for more veterinary doctors,” Akinjo said.