Knowledge, Attitude and Difficulties of Wildlife Quarantine Policy Implementation of Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service Personnel in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Quarantine policy provides a pathway towards animals and plants trafficking eradication and helps prevent the entering of dangerous exotic diseases into the country through imported faunas and floras. This study examined the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) personnel knowledge on zoonotic diseases transmission, attitude to zoonotic disease risks and difficulties of wildlife quarantine policy implementation in Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select the 70 personnel used for the study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data collected. The results showed that NAQS personnel have a better knowledge on zoonotic diseases transmission (4.83) and gallant attitude to zoonotic disease risks (4.81) while the perceived most wildlife quarantine policy implementation difficulties were corruption (5.76) and nonexistence of appropriate technology for implementation (5.55). It was concluded from the study that despite the considerable Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service personnel knowledge on zoonotic diseases transmission and their attitude to zoonotic disease risks, they greatly perceived the implementation difficulties of wildlife quarantine policy which warranted the need for NAQS personnel health education programs to minimize the transmission of zoonotic pathogens from wildlife animals on trans-boundary transits which is also an important factor for a successful wildlife quarantine policy implementation.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, difficulties, wildlife, quarantine, policy