Farmlands in five communities in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have been submerged by flood.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Emmanuel Anya, after Governor David Umahi visited the dam that caused the tragedy on Monday.
He said the governor had ordered a comprehensive report of farms and cash crops destroyed by the flood.
Anya stated that the flood was caused by the blockade of the dam being constructed by the Federal Government in Npu, Anuri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The affected communities are Ameke, Okue, Amaokwe and Ngwogwo.
Noting that the damage was huge, Anya cited the governor as saying that the report would be sent to the Federal Government with a view to assisting the state and farmers whose means of livelihood had been severely affected.
He said, “We came to the point of the Ukeh River Dam that is being constructed by the Federal Government in Npu, Anuri LGA, Enugu State.
“A comprehensive report will be carried out so that we can seek the Federal Government’s assistance, not only to the state but to the farmers whose agricultural produce have been seriously damaged.”
The Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Ivo LGA, Chief O. Ude, who accompanied Governor Umahi to the site of the dam, said the blockade caused water to overflow backwards, thereby destroying the farmlands in the affected communities.
“If you look back from where we are standing, you will see a river coming down from there, that is Ivo. This river is Ukeh. So, the rivers meet here and it is from here that the contractors created an embankment that makes water to flow backwards,” Ude said.
The Chairman of Ngwogwo Community Development Union, Mr. Johnson Ukpai, lamented that the flood had destroyed agricultural produce like yam, cassava, rice, maize and cocoyam.
He pleaded with the Federal Government to come to their rescue.
“The blockage of the dam which resulted in the overflow of flood to this our community has caused enormous damage to the community. Our crops, like yam, cassava, rice, maize and coco yam, have been destroyed,” Ukpai said.
Youths of the area were seen displaying cassava tubers which had been delayed due to the impact of the flood. (Punch)
