Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the livelihoods of farmers and strengthening the State's aquaculture sector as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security dispatched a high-level delegation to Ijebu-Ife and Ijebu-Igbo to assess the impact of the recent flooding in the area that left several fish farmers devastated.
The assessment team was deployed on the directive of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, to carry out an on-the-spot evaluation of the affected fish farms, determine the extent of the losses, identify the remote and immediate causes of the flooding, recommend measures to prevent future occurrences as well as engage the affected farmers on possible areas of government intervention.
The delegation, led by the Coordinating Director of the Ministry, Dr. Taiwo Jolaoso, Director of Fisheries Services, Mrs. Lucy Ijaola, alongside other senior management staff and technical officers of the Ministry visited the Mojalake Fish Farm Cluster in Ijebu-Ife, where they were informed that the cluster consisted of 95 registered members, while approximately 500 fish ponds belonging to 37 members were destroyed by the flood, resulting in enormous economic losses.
Speaking with the affected farmers, Dr. Jolaoso, conveyed the heartfelt sympathy of Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Agency, described the incident as unfortunate and a major setback for the affected fish farmers.
He encouraged the farmers not to lose hope, assuring them that the State Government remained committed to creating an enabling environment for agricultural production and would carefully review the report of the assessment for appropriate action.
Dr. Jolaoso, further advised farmers to adopt improved flood mitigation measures, including proper drainage systems, regular maintenance of waterways around their farms and other climate-smart aquaculture practices capable of reducing the impact of future flooding, assuring the farmers that all observations, requests and recommendations gathered during the visit would be presented to the Commissioner and other appropriate government authorities for necessary consideration.
He explained that the visit reflected the unwavering commitment of the State Government to supporting farms, strengthening food security and building a resilient agricultural sector capable of withstanding the challenges posed by climate change and other environmental factors.
Speaking on behalf of the affected farmers, Chairman of Mojalake Fish Farm Cluster, Engr. Isah Oseni, disclosed that fishes valued at over ₦400 million were lost to the flood by 37 farmers comprising 9 women and 28 men.
He appealed to the Ogun State Government to intensify the dredging of the Odo-Ade River, provide financial assistance and production inputs to affected farmers and implement long-term flood control measures to safeguard investments in aquaculture.
The delegation also visited Ijebu-Igbo, where the Chairman of the Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (FISHAN), Ijebu-Igbo Chapter, Mr. Afeez Bada, disclosed that over N300 million was lost by more than 40 fish farmers as a result of the flood.
Mr. Bada, appealed to the State Government to provide emergency support for the affected farmers through financial assistance and replacement inputs, while also calling for regular dredging of rivers and drainage channels, as well as stricter enforcement against encroachment on waterways, which he identified as a major contributor to recurring flooding.
No comments:
Post a Comment