Poultry vendors at the Central Business District of Accra, especially Makola market, have defied the ban on the sale and movement of live birds to prevent the spread of the avian influenza (Bird flu).
The directive from the Veterinary Service Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) had been ignored.
When GNA visited a number of markets in Accra on Wednesday, the poultry vendors were briskly doing business despite the ban.
Broilers were being sold at between GHȼ60.00 and GHȼ66.00, while old layers went for between GHȼ 30.00 and GHȼ 55.00.
The poultry vendors, who said they are aware of the ban however, appealed to government to, as a matter of urgency, control the ravaging bird flu, which has engulfed some poultry farms in the country. Mohammed Atinyine, a poultry vendor told GNA that government must take urgent steps to save the poultry industry from collapsing.
The poultry industry is the only source of livelihood and therefore if it collapses, they would be rendered unemployed, he said.
Atinyine explained that owing to the outbreak of disease in the country, they usually seek clearance from the directorate before buying their birds from any farm.
Edward Azumah, a poultry vendor, urged the MOFA to intensify mass education on the avian flu to create more awareness. Kofi Antwi, a businessman, lauded government for the directive, stating that it would intensify efforts to control the disease.
So far 3,600 birds from two farms in Denu and Keta in the Volta Region have been destroyed by the directorate due to infections on the farms.
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