By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The spillage of the Bagre dam from neighbouring Burkina-Faso has submerged hundreds of farmlands along the White Volta in the Upper East Region.
Farmers have now begun appealing to the government to support them to venture into dry season farming to fend for their families.
The spillage, which occurred on September 1, 2022, is already causing havoc to farmlands and households.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has hinted at plans to deploy boats along the White Volta to assist residents commuting across the White Volta to avert any loss of lives.
The annual spillage of the Bagre dam is usually done to prevent the banks of the dam from breaking.
However, a few days after this year’s spillage, hundreds of farmlands have been submerged by the floodwaters destroying different household crops, especially maize.
The situation compelled some farmers to harvest their farm produce pre-maturely.
Those whose farms have been submerged by the spilled waters have been sharing their frustration with Citi News.
“The spillage of the Bagre dam has destroyed my maize, groundnuts, and yellow melons. And this is going to affect me because I will have nothing to feed on during the dry season,” one farmer said.
“Though they always spill the Bagre dam, we didn’t know they will spill it this year, because we thought the rainy season was over, and we didn’t expect the spillage, but it took us by surprise,” he added.
“The spillage has destroyed our crops, especially maize. We planted earlier, but the rain came late, but even with what we planted later, the spillage of the Bagre dam has destroyed everything, worsening our poverty situation,” another farmer said.
The farmers appealed to the government to support them with farm inputs and fertilizers to enable them to undertake dry season farming to fend for their families.
Deputy Director General in charge of operations of the National Disaster Management Organisation, Abu Ramadan, during an assessment of the situation, said his outfit will immediately deploy boats along the White Volta to assist residents.
He further appealed to residents and farmers along the White Volta to exercise caution.