Farmers in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State are crying out for urgent assistance from the government after devastating flood submerged hundreds of hectares of farmlands and destroyed crops worth millions of naira in Ibiaku Ikot Esseh community.
The flood, which followed several days of heavy downpour, has left many farming families counting their losses, as their farmlands which serve as their only source of livelihood were completely taken over by water, destroying almost everything they planted.
Residents of the affected communities who spoke on the incident lamented that several farmlands have been swallowed by floodwater, expressing serious concern over the effect of the disaster on their livelihoods, income and food production in the area.
They noted that the flood did not only affect rice and cassava farms, but also destroyed vegetables, maize and other cash crops cultivated by local farmers, leaving many of them stranded and without any hope of harvest this farming season.
During an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas, the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Uruan Chapter, Effiong Etim Ubaha Esquire, described the situation as devastating and beyond what the farmers can handle on their own.
Ubaha explained that the flood has caused enormous economic loss to farmers in Ibiaku Ikot Esseh and surrounding communities, stressing that hundreds of farmers who depended solely on farming to feed their families and sponsor their children in school are now in distress.
According to him, the damage recorded this year is one of the worst in recent times, as the flood spread across vast farmlands and washed away crops that were already at advanced stages of growth, thereby dashing the hopes of a bountiful harvest.
He appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant intervention agencies to urgently come to the aid of the affected farmers by providing relief materials and compensation.
Also speaking during the assessment, the Village Head of Ituk Mbang, Obong Emmanuel Bassey, said the flooding has become a yearly occurrence in the community, but noted that this year’s incident is particularly severe and has affected more people than before.
Obong Bassey called on government at all levels to find a lasting solution to the recurring flood menace in Uruan Local Government Area, including proper channelization and construction of waterways to prevent future destruction of farmlands.
He lamented that many households in his community are now facing hunger and financial hardship as a result of the disaster, urging authorities not to abandon the affected farmers at this critical time.
The assessment visit was led by the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Ward Matters, Hon. Joseph Obot, who visited the submerged farmlands to have first-hand knowledge of the level of destruction caused by the flood.
Hon. Obot who sympathized with the affected farmers, assured them that he would forward his findings and recommendations to the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for prompt government intervention and necessary action.
The Chairman of AFAN, Uruan, Effiong Ubaha, coordinated the inspection exercise, taking the team round the affected areas, while the Secretary of AFAN in Uruan, Prince Mike Essien, also participated actively in the assessment.
Prince Essien said documentation of the affected farmlands and farmers is ongoing, adding that the association will compile a comprehensive list of losses incurred to enable government and other agencies provide targeted assistance to those in need.
Meanwhile, farmers in the affected communities are appealing for immediate provision of relief materials, farm inputs and financial support to enable them return to their farms and sustain their livelihoods as the floodwater gradually recedes.
Some of the affected women farmers who also spoke during the visit broke down in tears, narrating how they obtained loans from cooperative societies to cultivate their farms, only for the flood to wash away all their investments and leave them in debt.
Environmental experts who reacted to the incident attributed the recurring flooding in Uruan to blocked water channels, poor drainage systems and the overflow of nearby rivers, calling on the state government to embark on a comprehensive flood control project in the area.
