Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Edo State Chapter, has lauded Governor Monday Okpebholo for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development, describing the initiative as a visionary and transformative policy that will strengthen food security, drive economic diversification, create employment opportunities, enhance livestock productivity, and improve public health across Edo State.
The association, however, stressed that the success of the newly created ministry will depend largely on the availability of skilled professionals.
It therefore called on the Edo State Government to immediately recruit qualified veterinary doctors and paraveterinary personnel to provide the technical expertise required to effectively implement the ministry’s mandate and achieve its strategic objectives.
The call was made in Benin City by the Chairman of the association, Dr. Attah Samson Agbese, while declaring open the 2026 Veterinary Week and Livestock Farmers Forum, themed “Securing the Future: Veterinary Resilience as a Pillar of the Edo SHINE Agenda.”
Agbese said the creation of the ministry demonstrates Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to unlocking the vast economic opportunities in the livestock value chain in line with his SHINE Agenda.
He further applauded the governor for the landmark investments that have followed the establishment of the ministry, including the groundbreaking of an ultra-modern abattoir, the establishment of a 40 million-dose regional cold chain facility, and the commissioning of an ultra-modern veterinary hospital in Aviele.
According to him, the ultra-modern abattoir will transform meat hygiene, improve food safety, promote value addition and create employment opportunities across the livestock value chain.
He said the cold chain facility would strengthen vaccine security, improve disease surveillance and position Edo State as the leading hub for animal disease prevention in the South-South region, while the veterinary hospital would provide world-class clinical, diagnostic and extension services to livestock farmers.
Despite the commendation, the association warned that the huge investments could fail to achieve their intended impact without adequate manpower.
“Modern facilities can only deliver their full value when they are operated by skilled professionals,” Agbese said.
He appealed to Governor Okpebholo to urgently employ veterinary doctors and paraveterinary professionals into the Ministry of Livestock Development to provide the technical expertise required to manage the new facilities, strengthen disease surveillance, improve extension services, guarantee food safety and maximise the benefits of the government’s investments.
Representing the Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, Dr. Peter Osagie reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a productive and performance-driven public service.
He noted that a resilient veterinary workforce remains critical to protecting animal health, safeguarding public health, supporting farmers and strengthening food security in the state.
Osagie also commended the NVMA for its advocacy, professionalism and sustained public enlightenment, describing its contributions to disease surveillance, vaccination campaigns, food safety and the One Health initiative as invaluable to Edo State’s development.
He urged livestock farmers, pet owners and other stakeholders to continue collaborating with veterinary professionals by embracing best practices in animal husbandry, biosecurity, vaccination and disease reporting.
The forum also featured expert presentations on modern livestock production.
Delivering a lecture titled “Modern Trends in Poultry Farming,” Dr. Lordson Akuekegbe urged farmers to embrace data-driven poultry production through proper record-keeping, feed monitoring, precision nutrition, improved biosecurity, automation and the use of improved breeds to boost productivity and profitability.
Speaking on “Healthy Meals,” Dr. Nancy Eni-Otu advocated gut-focused nutrition for pets, warning against the misuse of antibiotics.
She recommended probiotics to improve digestion, nutrient absorption, immunity and overall animal health.
In another presentation titled “Modern Pig Production and Management for Profitability,” Dr. Andrew Aondowase Amine highlighted the importance of effective parasite control, proper feeding techniques, routine deworming and direct marketing strategies to maximise returns in pig farming.
Participants and beneficiaries of the forum described the programme as timely, expressing confidence that the knowledge acquired would improve their farming practices and increase productivity.
