The Ogun State Government has officially flagged off the 2026 Statewide Mass Vaccination Campaign against Trans-Boundary Animal Diseases, with Obafemi Owode Local Government serving as the host location for the exercise.
The event, held in Obafemi Owode, marked the commencement of a statewide initiative aimed at safeguarding livestock, protecting public health, and strengthening food security through large-scale vaccination of animals and free anti-rabies injections for dogs.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Executive Chairman of Obafemi Owode Local Government, Amb. Adesina ‘Lanre Ogunsola, FCPA, who was represented by the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Kayode Dipeolu, expressed appreciation to the state government for selecting the local government as the starting point of the campaign.
He noted that the choice of Obafemi Owode was strategic, considering its large livestock population, significant economic contribution to the agricultural sector, and its role as a major livestock transit hub within the state.
Ogunsola assured the state government of the local administration’s full support and cooperation throughout the vaccination campaign. He also called on livestock farmers and residents to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the 2026 Statewide Mass Vaccination Campaign and the free anti-rabies injections for dogs.
Declaring the campaign open, the Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owootomo, described trans-boundary animal diseases as a serious threat with far-reaching economic and public health implications.
He explained that such diseases can spread across borders and devastate livestock populations if not properly controlled, but emphasized that they are largely preventable through proactive vaccination programmes.
According to him, the Ogun State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, has set a target of vaccinating 200,000 livestock across the state during the 2026 exercise, alongside administering free anti-rabies injections for household dogs.
The commissioner revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security successfully vaccinated about 100,000 livestock during the previous year’s campaign, attributing the achievement to the support of the state governor, Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun, CON.
Owootomo stressed that controlling trans-boundary diseases requires collective responsibility, noting that the selection of Obafemi Owode as the flag-off venue was due to its strategic importance as a major livestock transit gateway in Ogun State.
He further encouraged livestock owners to actively participate in the vaccination programme, highlighting the benefits of maintaining a healthy livestock sector for economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and improved food security.
As part of the ceremony, the commissioner demonstrated the vaccination exercise by administering a rabies injection to one of the dogs presented for the free treatment, while being flanked by the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Dipeolu.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the Supervisor for Agriculture in Obafemi Owode Local Government, Hon. Muyiwa Ojebiyi; the Head of Local Government Administration, Ms. Olufunke Adeniji; the Director of Veterinary Services at the Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Taiwo Oluwole Jolaoso; and the Director of Agriculture and Food Security for Obafemi Owode Local Government, Mr. Kayode Alebiosu.
The vaccination campaign forms part of the state government’s broader efforts to strengthen disease control in the livestock sector and ensure sustainable agricultural development across Ogun State.
