By Praise Chinecherem
Over 25,000 birds were destroyed by flood in a Multi-million naira automated farm at Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala community in Ogbaru area of Anambra State.
Potatoes farm, fish pond and other crops sections were also affected by the deluge which led to shutting down of operations in the facility.
Proprietor of Matuuci Farms Limited, Dr Patrick Sule-Ugboma, said about 400 staffers of the company have been directed to stop work.
Taking newsmen around some of the facilities on Wednesday, said his company has lost fortune due to the flood disaster that affected the farm sitting on 20 hectares of land.
He said, “Communities in Ogbaru area of Anambra living along the River Niger coastline often experience flooding.
“We have lost more than 25,000 poultry birds, fish in our ponds worth several millions of naira and numerous other properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed by the flood.
“The flood has equally affected some bridges on Onitsha-Ndoni road especially the bridge at Umunnakwo.
“The collapse of bridges on Ogbaru-Ndoni road poses serious danger to residents and other road users travelling from Ogwuikpele to neighbouring communities who now resort to crossing the river by wooden boats.
Sule-Ugboma appealed to both Anambra and Federal governments to come to the rescue of the communities in the area.
“I am calling on Governor Charles Soludo to look into the plights since of our people especially with the menace of perennial flooding hitting Ogbaru communities again.
” I also called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to consider the construction of the Onitsha-Ndoni road now in a deplorable state”, he said.
Sule-Ugboma regretted that in spite enormous agricultural and other economic activities in the area, enough were yet to be done in the provision of road infrastructure in Ogbaru, Delta, Imo and Rivers corridors.
“Agriculture is the main stay of Ogbaru communities as well as communities in Delta, Imo and Rivers and inspire their contributions to our economy.
“The people have been subjected to unduly neglect by successive state and Federal Governments”, Sule-Ugboma said.
