Professor Akan Williams of Covenant University has called on the Nigerian government to regulate the use of antibiotics in agriculture to protect public health. He made this appeal while delivering the university’s 34th Inaugural Lecture titled, “The Burdens of Pollution and Imperatives for Environmental Clean-Up”, in Ota, Ogun State.
Professor Williams explained that many Nigerian poultry farmers, as well as feed manufacturers, would secretly mix antibiotics into animal feed. He explained that they often do this without waiting for the proper time before selling the animals. As a result, individuals who consume the meat can be exposed to harmful antibiotic residues. He urged government agencies to increase monitoring and enforcement, launch public awareness campaigns for farmers, and improve border checks to stop the import of contaminated meat. The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Timothy Anake, praised the lecture’s impact, while the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo, urged African countries to take responsibility for addressing their environmental and health issues.
Leave feedback about this