Winneba, July 25, GNA - Members of the Winneba Odebikese Poultry Farmers Association have called for an indefinite ban on the importation of poultry products into the country. They said this would help strengthen measures designed to check the bird flu threat and encourage Ghanaians to patronise birds and eggs produced locally.

Mr John Bailey Kittoe, Chairman of the Odebikese Poultry Farmers Association, said the bird flu scare had a devastating effect on the poultry industry in the country. Commenting on the issue, Mr Samuel Kofi Owusu-Agyei, Deputy Minister of Health and MP for Effutu, said the government was troubled about the harm caused by the bird flu to poultry farmers and the poultry industry in general and was doing all it could to protect and improve the industry.

Nana Atto Arthur, the Central Regional Minister, and the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Chief Executive, appealed to people in the region to patronise locally produced poultry products. 26 July 06