Farmers Embark On Premature Harvest Of Crops, As Flood Sacks Communities, Farms In Edo
…flood waters destroy farmlands, crops worth millions of naira in Edo
Flood waters from the heavy downpour last weekend have reportedly sacked seven communities in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State.
An upsurge from the Niger River allegedly compounded the problem, as it destroyed properties and houses inthe affected communities, namely; Udaba, Ofukpo, Agbaburu, Osomegbe, Ukpeko, Ugochi and Anegbette Communities.
Farmlands with crops such as cassava, yam, rice, maize, groundnut and others were also not spared as the ravaging flood wash away all the belongings of the residents.
The residents are lamenting the neglect of the area by government since the first disaster in 2012 and wondered why the government is not sincere to them by way of ensuring the construction of the communities road which will make it easy for them to access upland communities in the locality In case of such emergency.
The Head of Udaba village, Chief David Inetape, lamented what he described as government’s insensitivity over the years, just as he wondered why they should be left to themselves in times like this.
He noted that they cannot relocate out of the place as a result of lack of road as the earth roads in the communities are flooded adding that they now use ferry boats and canoes to access their houses.
On her part, Mrs. Rose Akinabor who said she took loans to develop her farms, said the flood has destroyed all her life savings and does not know that her labour was going to be in vain. She called on government to assist them so that they can live normal again.
To avoid total loss, the farmers were said to have embarked on premature harvest of their rice, cassava, groundnuts and yams.
Commenting on this, one of the farmers, Mr. Nigeria Afomede, said: “If we don’t harvest our crops now, they will spoil and we will suffer. So, we have decided to harvest our six months old cassava, you know we don’t have any farm that is up to a year now because that of last year also destroyed our farms.”
Meanwhile, authorities of Etsako Central Local Government Council have cleaned up the federal government resettlement camp in Oghomere, with the aim of relocating the flood victims in the Area.
It was however gathered that the people were not willing to relocate to the federal government’s resettlement camp built by the flood committee in the last administration, citing lack of access road to Oghomere as there was no sign before the sudden rise in water level.
The Vice Chairman of the local government, Mr. Ambrose Kelvin Akhigbe, said the Council is doing all it could to relocate the victims after the proper cleaning of the building and fumigation is completed from Wednesday.
“We are going to the affected communities with speed boats to evacuate them if anyone resist leaving g the areas we are going to persuade them to leave so that whatever the government and individual will be bringing they will benefit from it in the camp, as you can see the borehole is set and the rooms are been tiding up to ensure that it is conducive.
“We shall also bring a very big generating set to ensure regular supply in the camp so that the displaced persons can feel at home,” Akhigbe said.
