Transporters must stop at veterinary control posts for livestock inspection
The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service wishes to remind the general public, especially dealers in livestock, of the mandatory requirement to stop at the Veterinary Control Posts along the Federal Highways for inspection of their goods.
NAQS officers who are manning the control posts are under obligation to carry out the compulsory checks. The purpose of the inspection is to improve disease surveillance and pest control as prescribed by the extant laws. This reminder has become necessary in the wake of increasing reports of the non-adherence of the truckers to the regulation to stop at the control posts for the inspection of their goods.
For the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate that the requirement to stop at the NAQS Veterinary Control Posts for inspection subsists and permits no exemption. It is a product of series of consultations with stakeholders.
At the third and last meeting of the Implementation Committee on Curtailment of Cattle Rustling in Nigeria which was held in Abuja on December 8, 2017, stakeholders comprising the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Indigenous Cattle Breeders Association, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association, Nigerian Association of Agricultural Produce Dealers, National Association of Road Transport Owners and National Union of Road Transport Workers adopted a Communiqué which spelt out the modalities for the operationalization of veterinary control posts along livestock routes.
In that meeting, all stakeholders unanimously agreed that inspection of the animals and payment of the associated service charge take place only at NAQS Control Posts at Jebba, Lokoja, Makurdi and Gada Buki.
The amounts chargeable by the NAQS for inspection of the different categories of goods are available on NAQS website. Payments are receipted, and no transporter or animal owner is required to pay another levy at any other control post as far as he or she is able to produce evidence of having paid such fee in any post along the Federal Highway.
All transporters, livestock owners and the general public are advised to take note of this notice and comply in the interest of all concerned.