The Abia State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has officially handed over a site for the establishment of a Veterinary Hospital under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) within the state capital.
Speaking during the formal handover to the Consultant of L-PRES, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, said the initiative aligns with the state government’s commitment to safeguarding public health by ensuring the consumption of healthy, hygienic and disease-free livestock.
Dr. Agbaeze explained that the project came to complement part of the broader agricultural reforms and developmental strides being implemented across all sectors of the Abia economy under the leadership of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR.
He noted that the L-PRES initiative is designed to strengthen livestock productivity while preventing animal diseases that could pose risks to human health.
According to the Commissioner, Abia State is among the 26 states nationwide that have keyed into the L-PRES programme, joining other participating states such as Enugu and Ebonyi in the South-East.
He emphasized that the project would significantly benefit the state by ensuring that livestock consumed by residents meets international best practices in hygiene and disease control, while also improving productivity within the livestock sector.
Dr. Agbaeze disclosed that work on the project would commence immediately and is expected to be completed within six months of start-off.
Also speaking, a consultant with Rahis Global Consulting Company, Abuja, Engr. Isa Siqiru, who represented L-PRES officials, commended the Abia State Government for promptly providing a site to facilitate the early take-off of the project.
He confirmed that Abia has joined other beneficiary states across the federation in supporting the initiative.
Engr. Siqiru clarified that the project is fully funded by the World Bank, with no financial obligation on the part of the Abia State Government, adding that the project would be supervised and managed by L-PRES headquarters in Abuja.
He further explained that the veterinary hospital, when completed, would provide comprehensive animal treatment and holistic livestock health services aimed at strengthening the sector and enhancing food safety standards in the state.
