Donkeys leaving Nigeria to other countries must be certified-DG NAQS
By Benjamin Arida://
The Director General, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, has said the organization has been mandated to ensure that donkeys leaving Nigeria to other countries must be certified.
Isegbe, who made this clarification recently at a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, also noted that it is their duty to see that products leaving this country as far as animal is concern must meet international standard.
The DG, who said the topic of the forum, “Breeding/Ranching Programme for Sustainability of Donkey Hide Export” is apt considering the fact that
international communities are deeply interested in breeding of donkey, because donkey is becoming an endanger specie.
He said, “There are rules and regulations if one want to enter into businesses. Even the foods that our wives cook for us at home, if she decides to put the pepper at the wrong time, the food will not come out tasty and if she also decides to put too much salt in the food, the food won’t taste good. So in anything we do, there are rules and regulations to follow so as to get good result.
“In 2017, Nigeria at the 22nd National Council of Agriculture, the Quarantine Service declared donkey as an endanger specie, so if you are going to any business, there are international interest. Nigeria is a signatory to International Commission of Trade Against Endanger Specie, ICTES.
“The quarantine services ensure it inspects all products so that no bad products go into the country and no bad product goes out of the country as well. Nigeria is also a signatory to the International plan protection convention for plant and plant products. Nigeria is also a signatory to World animal setting, which includes animal, fish and animal products.
“Our aim is also to ensure that the business must be done properly. In oversee there is what we call ethical standard; this products that is been sold, did you use child labour? Is there any blood money, which is by going to communities killing people and taking their mineral resources? Nobody should buy any product from such businesses.”
Isegbe further said, “Our mandate as quarantine services is that whatsoever the law says we should do, we will do it well, by that Nigeria will be the only country where people can find donkeys and it will be sold at $50,000 per donkey.”