The Federal Government has commissioned a new model veterinary hospital in Ekiti State, designed to boost productivity in the state’s livestock sector.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who inaugurated the facility constructed by the National Coordinating Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu would soon replicate the facility across the country’s 774 local government areas.
After the commissioning, the minister inspected Ikun Dairy Farm, the ultra-modern dual-function abattoir and Commercial Cattle Market along the Ekiti State University (EKSU)/Iworoko Road in Ado-Ekiti, the Livestock Development Centre at Erifun, Ado-Ekiti, and the Poultry Hub in Emure-Ekiti.
Maiha explained that the new hospital was equipped with modern facilities, including a surgical theatre, diagnostic laboratory, pharmacy, haematology unit, ultrasonography and radiology units, as well as an ambulatory service to reach livestock owners in rural communities.
He said the facilities would ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases, prevent avoidable livestock losses and improve productivity in the sector.
The minister charged veterinary professionals at the hospital to ensure that no livestock owner loses animals due to delayed medical attention or poor response, stressing that treatment should be based on proper laboratory diagnosis rather than suspicion.
“No animal should be delayed for non-elective surgery due to limited space for surgical intervention. No livestock owner should leave this premises without the right prescription drugs for addressing his challenges,” he said.
Maiha, who commended Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for his commitment to developing the livestock sector, urged the state government to prioritise regular training and retraining of veterinary personnel to ensure they could effectively operate the modern equipment and deliver services in line with international best practices.
The minister also urged the authorities to ensure proper maintenance and judicious utilisation of the facility, while complying with relevant professional and international standards to guarantee its sustainability and benefits to future generations.
In his address, Governor Oyebanji commended the minister and the LPRES leadership for the newly commissioned hospital, adding that it aligned with his administration’s agenda for livestock productivity and economic development.
Oyebanji, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Oyeniyi Adebayo, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming the livestock sector through investments in veterinary healthcare, modern infrastructure, improved production systems and conflict prevention mechanisms.
He added that the government was also constructing an ultra-modern abattoir in Ado-Ekiti to improve meat processing, hygiene, food safety and value addition across the livestock value chain.
Speaking, the National Project Coordinator of the World Bank-assisted LPRES, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, said the hospital was part of measures to transform the livestock sector through improved veterinary healthcare delivery.
He disclosed that the newly commissioned hospital in Ekiti was one of several facilities built and equipped across 21 states to address the animal healthcare needs of livestock owners.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Ebenezer Boluwade, and the state coordinator of LPRES, Olayinka Adedipe, assured the Federal Government that the hospital would be put to adequate use to promote healthier livestock in the state.
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