Accra, July 12, GNA - Mr Ernest Akubour Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Tuesday reassured the public that chicken was safe for consumption since the avian influenza had not hit Ghana. He said for one to be sure that one was taking a wholesome chicken, all that one needed to do, was to just cook the chicken at least at 75 degrees Celsius or 100 degree Celsius "and that assures you of a safety meal".

Speaking at his turn of the meet-the-press series in Accra, Mr Debrah explained that the heat level of 75 degree Celsius was sufficient to cook food or chicken for safe consumption.

He said every effort was being made by the Ministry and its allied agencies, ministries and organisations to prevent the flu from entering the country, adding that the ban on poultry imports from countries affected by the disease was still in force.

He noted that migratory birds, which could be potential sources of the flu entering the country, were carefully being watched while the borders were tightly being patrolled to check the situation. Mr Debrah said the poultry industry that was now suffering as a result of the bird flu scare would be revamped through a recently inaugurated Poultry Development Board, which has been tasked to come up with policies to bring life into the industry.

He said the Ministry was also working with the Agricultural Development Bank in its effort at re-engineering some poultry houses by providing funding to revamp their processing facilities. He said the neglected rural poultry; an industry with great potential would be revamped. Structures to hold about 20 birds would be built annually for five years and made available to rural households for the raising of birds.

On livestock production, Mr Debrah said a project aimed at enhancing farmer productivity, production and income, under which five million cedis was being made available as credit to every small or medium livestock farmer was currently underway and that 12 billon cedis of the amount had been disbursed as at June 2006.

On the issue of alien herdsmen whose activities disturb local crop farmers, the Minister noted that the Ministry had drawn up a policy to establish common grazing grounds to lessen the problem. Under the policy, two initial pilot grazing grounds about 25 square kilometres (five by miles each) were to be established this year, of which each land would be provided with housing facilities and basic amenities like water and veterinary clinic.

"Cattle owners would then be required to graze only at such designated sites for a fee. Once established, we will not tolerate grazing outside these sites", Mr Debrah cautioned.