Veterinary surgeons cry for fair share of
national cake
Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - The Ghana Veterinary Medical
Association (GVMA) on Tuesday called for recognition
of their contributions to the socio-economic
development of the country.
"It is regrettable
that despite the huge contributions to the national
economy by the veterinary professionals, veterinary
surgeons have not been given the necessary attention
for their services and contribution to the
development of society," Dr E. B. M. Koney, GVMA
President, stated in Accra.
Dr Koney was
addressing delegates at the 16th GVMA Congress and
the Third Regional West Africa Commonwealth
Veterinary Association Conference in Accra on the
general theme: "Sustaining Livestock and Poultry
Production at the Village Level: The Role of Women."
The Congress seeks to
offer a platform for the veterinary professionals
and national stakeholders to deliberate on the
contribution of women to livestock and poultry
production and identify the complementary role
veterinary professionals play in enabling women to
achieve such remarkable successes.
The five-day Congress
was officially opened on behalf of the wife of the
Vice President, Hajia Ramatu Mahama by Ms Anna
Nyamekye, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.
Dr Koney expressed
disquiet about logistical constraints, poor
condition of service and emoluments, which,
according to him, had contributed to the large
exodus of veterinary professionals out of the
country.
He said the recent
scare of avian influenza (Bird Flu) in the country
and the quick response of the veterinary surgeons in
collaboration with the Government and other
professionals clearly demonstrated the central role
the veterinarian played not only in animal disease
control, but also public health.
Dr Koney emphasised
that even though the disease was never recorded in
the country, the mere scare of the disease caused a
tremendous socio-economic consequence especially
within the poultry and the maize sub-sector.
Hajia Alima Mahama,
Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, called on
the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to use the
national policy on public procurement to create a
market for the livestock industry.
She said women played
a vital role in the livestock industry from the
domestic to the commercial level stressing that the
livestock industry possessed the vital ground for
reduction of poverty.
"Poverty has a
femininity face and the livestock industry could
serve as an engine to reduce poverty especially
among women in Ghana," she said.
Professor Kwesi
Yankah, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of
Ghana, who chaired the ceremony called on policy
makers to redefine poverty.
He said when those in
academia, politicians and Government officials
talked about poverty it seemed they did not
understand what it really meant, adding they should
go to the rural areas to experience what it took for
an old woman or man to go to bed only feeding on
water.
Prof Yankah said until politicians descended from
their ivory towers, the talk about poverty
reduction, poverty alleviation and other poverty
reduction strategies would remain a mirage.
GNA
