The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating Peste des Petits Ruminants, a highly contagious viral disease affecting sheep and goats, by 2030, saying intensified surveillance, vaccination and cross-border collaboration remain central to achieving the target.
The assurance was given by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Chinyere Akujobi, at the opening of a two-day Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Review and Update of Nigeria’s National Strategic Plan for the Control and Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants in Abuja.
The Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the ministry, Henrietta Okokon, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Akujobi described the eradication of PPR as both an animal health priority and a national development goal, noting that eliminating the disease would reduce poverty, improve rural livelihoods, increase livestock productivity and expand trade opportunities.
According to her, “Nigeria has remained fully committed to the global goal, under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health, to eradicate PPR by 2030.
