By Christiana Ekpa
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Livestock has resolved to ensure improvement in the proposed 2025 budgetary allocation for Veterinary Institute of Nigeria considering its relevance in providing vaccines to contain spread of diseases around the country.
The Committee gave the assurance to the institute during the 2025 budget defence session it held in Abuja.
Chairman Senate Committee on Livestock, Sen. Musa Mustapha while responding to the institute demand said “We (the committee) need to come on board to assist the institute to get more support in vaccines production”.
Co- chairman of the committee, Hon. Wale Raji in his submission said there is need to make case for the institute because they are the pillars in Livestock Ministry.
According to Hon Raji, when talking about vaccines production it would have been expected of the institute to state what is required for massive production.
The Committee further observed that in the institute 2024 budget performance more expenses were channelled to the purchase of diesel.
This the institute explained that most of its machines capacity for storage of the vaccines can only be powered by high voltage not the use of solar panels.
it however advised the institute to do more in publicising itself for public be aware of what it is doing.
Earlier, the Director General of Veterinary Institute of Nigeria, Dr. Maryann Muhammad said the proposed budgetary allocation of N900 million for the institute is grossly inadequate.
When inquired of its response on outbreak of diseases in the country, Dr. Muhammad revealed that over 40 million doses of vaccines were produced as soon as they hear of an outbreak in a neighbouring country.
According to her, we are also working with international and local donors. That is why we have been able to stop the spread of the disease.
“We need a facility that can produce up to 8 million doses of vaccines”, she said.
Other agencies who had its 2025 budget defence session include Federal Colleges of Animal Health and Production Technology, Mubi, Ibadan and Zaria.
These colleges further called for more budgetary allocation to them while reeling out their challenges to the committee.
For Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Mubi whose proposed 2025 budgetary allocation is over N2.7 billion, the Committee observed that it only generated less than N1 million as revenue for 2024.
The College Provost, Dr. Jude Okpara however explained that they are not expected to generate revenue rather they are to spend 75% and remit 25%.
The Committee later agreed to this saying it is a general waiver.
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