About 400 people in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region have been displaced after floodwater engulfed their houses. The unfortunate situation is attributed to the construction of the Tamne irrigation dam which has overflowed its tributaries.
“It was my time that the dam started and we spoke and spoke but they [engineers of the dam] were not listening to us. When they wanted to leave the community, we asked them where the water will leave, they said the valley, without looking at the disadvantaged side. And now that the water has taken over our farms, we can’t get food to eat”, former Assembly Member for the Gagbiri number 1 electoral area, Dominic Abugri Asaana blamed the situation largely on construction defects of the Tamne Irrigation Dam.
Former President John Dramani Mahama cut sod for the construction of the Tamne irrigation dam on July 13, 2016. It is expected that the dam when completed will irrigate about 3, 250 acres to promote all-year-round farming to reduce urban migration through direct and indirect jobs.
But before the construction of the dam is fully completed, the long-held anticipation of residents may have been cut short.
“This is my farm that the water has destroyed. I used fertilizer of about 10 bags and one bag costs about Ghc 220 in this community. When they came to construct the dam, we asked them about our farms but they told us that the water will not come on top of our farms, they didn’t demarcate where the water will take. So as of now, the water has destroyed all my crops”, a farmer, Adam Dauda Abanga lamented.
The communities affected include, Gagbiri, Zambala, Bugri, Gaago, Kug-Zua, Gella-Kolgo, Napaadi, Arazim, Zulli, Kugri and Kolsabilgu.
More than 100 hectares of farmlands made up of maize, millet, soya beans, rice, and groundnuts have been submerged in the floodwater.
Assembly Member for Gagbiri Natinga Electoral area, Akuka Halidu Iddrisu said the community members are cut-off from having access to social amenities because a major road that links the community to health centers and educational facilities have is submerged.
“A tricycle used to charge us only Ghc2 from Gagbiri here to Garu and now that the road has been submerged, we have to pass through Tempane to Garu which is now costing us Ghc8. Almost two weeks now, our children have not been going to school, we are at home with our children now”, he stated.
This came to light when the Member of Parliament for the Tempane Constituency, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba toured the affected areas to get first-hand information.
Even though some houses have been relocated to higher grounds, the MP said more than 30 houses need to be immediately relocated to avert being submerged into the floodwaters.
She expressed fear that reptiles such as crocodiles from the floodwaters are eating animals belonging to the residents and may soon attack the community members.
“We don’t wait for the crocodiles to begin to eat people before we come to look at it. Because of the rising level of the water is affecting the wildlife that is in the dam site. Most of the houses have been infested with crocodiles, snakes, and all manner of reptiles that are in the water. We have an instance where a crocodile entered somebody’s house and ate animals. Here, they are peasant farmers. So, if their crops have been affected, what do they have?
Madam Akanvariba has therefore called on the government to immediately intervene in the situation.
“We want to plead with the government, NADMO, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations to come to their aid. Most of the farmers, their crops have been submerged in the water. If we don’t solve the issue now, there would be hunger in this part of the constituency”.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah
