By Stephen Adeleye.
The Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Kogi chapter, has appealed to the State Government for an improved renumerations and welfare package for veterinary doctors in the state.
The State’s Chairman of NVMA, Dr Tolu Omotugba, made the call after a ‘road walk’ on Friday in Lokoja, as part of activities to to celebrates the “World Veterinary Day” 2024.
The world veterinary day is celebrated every April 27, with this year’s theme as “Veterinarians Are Essential Health Workers”.
Speaking to journalists after the road walk, Omotugba stressed the importance of animal doctors as essential health workers and their worth in the society.
According to him, the renumerations of vet doctors in the state do not commensurate with the level of sacrifices and positive health impact they are making in the society.
“Today is a day that is being celebrated globally to show ourselves as Vet Animal doctors; our value addition in the society.
“We are essential health workers in the sense that we are responsible for the health of animals as well as the public health.
“So, we are dealing with two health conditions; the animals and the human beings.
“We treat the animals when they are sick and we go to abattoirs to prevent zoonotic disease conditions that suppose to move from animals to humans.
“When you hear that there is a drop in zoonotic conditions among the human population, it is an indication that the animal doctors are working.
“So, today is a day to tell the world of what we do. Although people don’t usually place much value on vet in this part of the world,” he said.
He emphasised that the greatness and the moral progress of any nation would be largely determined on how its animals were treated.
He added: “We expect that in the coming years under this new Administration in Kogi and in Nigeria, that vet will be given its proper place in the society and be supported immensely.
“We have met several state actors and several stakeholders, and we will keep saying it that the vet renumerations in Kogi State, has not been properly attended to”.
He, however appreciated Governor Ahmed Ododo for having the interest of the civil servants at heart for always paying workers’ salaries promptly.
“But, we want to plead with the governor and draw his attention to the issues of non implementation of the revised CONMESS in the state, we appeal to him to treat it as a matter of urgency.
“We need to be adequately renumerated and compensated with all the sacrifices we are making as vet doctors in the society,” Omotugba said.
Speaking on Animal Ranching Initiative of the federal government, Dr Khalid Bashiru, the Publication Relations Officer of NVMA, called for full adoption of ranching due to its immense benefits to the society.
According to him, ranching will go along way to help mitigate the incessant crises and conflicts between farmers and herders.
He added that ranching would boost livestock productivity and economic situation in the livestock subsector in the state.
