Nation on alert as bushfires spread, Gillard warns NSW residents to be vigilant
Bush fire devastate thousands of acreages of farms at Sang
11 January 2013
published by www.vibeghana.com
Ghana — Thousands of acreages of farms belonging to some farmers in the newly created district of Sang have been destroyed by bush fires rendering them financially bankrupt.
They told the GNA that they could neither feed themselves nor their families since all their hopes had been dashed by the bush fire.
Afa Abibo Gariga, a farmer from Sang who lost 15 acres of maize and rice said I have nothing to feed my family with .my only hope now is to look up to God for assistance. Several of my colleagues are in a similar situation.
He called on the government and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to assist them.
Alhaji Moli Nasam who lost 13 acres of peagin-pea (adow), 13 acres of maize while other farmers who had harvested their crops and heaped them waiting threshing lost their produce.
Osofo Patrick Appullah, Managing Director of Savana Seeds Services Company Ltd who had his 70 acres of drought tolerant maize burnt, told the GNA that he had gone to his farm to inspect it on the 31st December 2012, but almost collapsed when he saw only ashes.
He said the farm was meant to produce high yielding variety of maize to be supplied to the savanna zone to increase productivity and had invested GHc19, 850.000 with the support from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the Savanah Agricultural Research Institute.
He said the loss was too huge and was going to affect the seed dissemination programme of the drought tolerant maize project and food production generally.
Osofo Appullah said parts of the cashew and mango plantation of the late former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama was also burnt.
He appealed to the government to make a quick intervention to the worst affected till the next farming season and appealed to the government to institute mechanisms to control bush fires.
