Ministry of Food and Agriculture has banned the importation of poultry products from the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Denmark, and United Kingdom.

The ban is a move to prevent the entry of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza subtype H5N8 in Ghana, which is currently on the outbreak in those countries.

In a statement signed by the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Robert Ankobiah, the directive is upon advice from the Veterinary Services Directorate.

“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture upon advice from the Veterinary Services Directorate has placed a ban on the importation of day-old chicks, hatching eggs, frozen chicken, poultry products and poultry feed from these European countries with immediate effect,” part of the statement said.

To prevent an outbreak of the disease in this country, the statement explained that all import permits that were issued earlier for such consignment have been rendered invalid due to the new directive.

“Importers are to note that all imports permits that were issued for such consignments from Nertherlands, Germany, Russia, Denmark and United Kingdom have been rendered invalid with immediate effect,” the statement added.