By Adebayo Michael
Reports from Ogun State say 20 fish farmers been hospitalised due to shock after losing N500 million investment to flooding.
This happened during the flooding on July 8 which swept away about 200 Fish Ponds and destroyed other property worth N500m belonging to the farmers.
Meanwhile, colleagues of the fish farmers operarting in Ijebu-Ode, on Thursday, stormed the State Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, seeking the government’s intervention.
The protesters represented the two hundred farmers whose ponds were located at Ikangba/Agoro, via Ijebu Ode in Odogbolu Local Government, where the flash floods wrecked havoc.
Some of the farmers were armed with placards with various inscriptions such as “Governor Abiodun, save our soul; N500m investment washed away by flood,” “Dredging of Yemule River is Long overdue,” “Governor Abiodun, help us fix Agoro and Ikangba road,” among others.
Eko Nicholas, who spoke on behalf of the farmers, blamed the disaster on lack of dredging of Yemule river and improper channelling of drainages along the ‘deplorable’ Ikangba/Agoro road.
He said when it rained, water spilled over the Yemule River’s bound into the fish farms, which according to him, were located more than a kilometre from the River.
Nicholas said more than 20 farmers were just discharged from the hospital due to shock they suffered over the loss.
“We are calling on the Governor to, as a matter of necessity, help us dredge Yemule stream to make it wide and deep enough to accommodate the volume of water that is coming from the construction sites. With that, the water would not overflow its bound.
“Also, the Ikangba/Agoro road otherwise known as old Lagos road, has been a nightmare to the residents and it also contribute to the flood due to lack of drainage and proper channelling. We are also begging the Governor to help us fix the road.
“Most importantly, the Governor should assist us by granting us a soft loan to help us stand on our feet again. As I speak, over 20 of our members just left hospitals yesterday and day before yesterday. They are just recuperating from the shock suffered as a result of the disaster,” he said.
General Manager of the State Agricultural Development Corporation, Bolu Owootomo, assured the farmers that the Government would address their demands as soon as possible.
Owootomo hinted that officials of government would visit the area within seven days to assess the damage and proffer a lasting solution to the flooding.
He said as a responsible Government, Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration would not fold its arms while citizens lose huge investment to flood disaster.
Source: (Punch)
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