Distressed wife of poultry farmer Charles Quaye, Mrs. Quaye revealed that they are now reliant on loans for survival due to delayed compensation from the government after their birds were destroyed due to an outbreak of Avian influenza (bird flu).
During an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Mrs. Quaye shared that her husband has been involved in the poultry business for approximately 35 years, serving as their primary source of livelihood.
She expressed the challenging circumstances they face as parents responsible for providing for their three children amidst the current situation.
“My husband was a poultry farmer when I met him and that is what we have used to cater for our children. The eldest is in the university, with the others in SHS and JHS. It is not easy for us so we have to borrow.
“If the government has given the money to someone who has refused to pay, they should find out because we don’t understand what is going on. We have to take loans to make ends meet,” she bemoaned.
Aside the delayed compensation, Mrs Quaye said another worrying situation is the lack of a disinfection exercise.
“It was the hope that they will come and disinfect the farm to curb the spread but from 2022 till now, nobody has returned after the birds were destroyed,” she lamented.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to compensate farmers affected by the outbreak within one month.
Despite this directive, the affected farmers report that they have yet to receive any compensation from the allocated GH¢1.8 million fund, as highlighted in the 2022 Auditor General’s Report, which remains untouched in the Ministry’s account.