By Fadhlillah Abdallah
The Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP), has awarded N68,652,601.21 contract for the construction of a veterinary reference laboratory at Gwale Veterinary Clinic in the state.
Veterinary reference laboratories are service facilities where several vital functions related to veterinary sciences, such as the diagnosis, determination of treatment options, prevention, and monitoring of animal diseases are undertaken.
The laboratory plays key role in animal health protection by preventing and controlling livestock diseases. Vet reference laboratories have major implications on human health because of the animal to human transmission of diseases.
Contract for the project was awarded to an indigenous firm, Golden Ripples Construction Company Nigeria Limited, with a completion period of 12 months.
Shortly after signing the contract documents, the State Project Coordinator of KSADP, Ibrahim Garba Muhammad highlighted that “the project, which is the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria, is aimed at securing both livestock and human health, in view of the large population of livestock and the increasing demand for animal-derived foods in the state.
“When completed, the facility will not only serve Kano but all the neighboring states it will drastically cut the cost of managing animal health problems in our communities,” he said.
According to Ibrahim, “one of the key activities of the KSADP is to enhance livestock health, productivity and production enhancement, and this intervention is one of the activities in that regard.”
The Managing Director, Golden Ripples Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Alkali promised that professional standards will be adhered to in executing the work, assuring that the edifice will be a model for other states.
While handing over the site for construction of the Veterinary laboratory, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Balarabe Hassan Karaye charged the contractor to deliver qualitative work promptly.
