Floods kill 5, destroy 1,105 acres of arable land in Northern Region

The havoc caused by torrential rains in the Northern Region is deepening as more farmlands along the White Volta have been submerged with several lives lost.

At least 10 farming communities in the area have been severely affected with about 1,105 acres (442 hectares) of crop lands consumed by the floods.

West Mamprusi Municipal Director of Agriculture, Mr Matthew Adua, explained in an interview with Class91.3FM’s Northern Regional Correspondent, Mohammed Gadafi that the crops affected largely are rice and maize.

He said that the farmers regard the lowlands as fertile, even though “we try to keep them away from farming close to the basin of the river but because of the fertile nature of the soil, they would always want to do early cropping so that they will harvest before the floods come.”

“But unfortunately this year, in addition to the heavy rains, we also have the Bagre Dam that was opened, so, that, coupled with the heavy rains, has flooded many of our areas,” he explained.

He estimated that about 2,325 people have had their crops destroyed from 35 communities. The affected communities include: Kariminga, Biu, Dibsi, Kurugu, Siringa, Biu, through to Yinfio to Daboya in the North Gonja District.

Meanwhile, several districts, including the Savelugu Municipality, Central Gonja, North Gonja, West Mamprusi, Gambaga/Nalerigu and Karaga in the Northern Region, have also been hit by floods.

At least, five persons have lost their lives as a result. They include a 13-year-old boy and a 60-year-old woman in the West Mamprusi and Savelugu municipalities, respectively.

The devastation caused the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, to visit the affected area last week to assess the extent of damage.

Government’s flagship programmme, Planting for Food & Jobs (PFJ), is under threat as many farms have been destroyed.

The minister said the government is making efforts to put relief measures in place but urged philanthropists to assist.

“I am calling on all others, especially the development partners as well as individual investors, to come to the aid of the region and the affected communities,” he pleaded.

Source: Class FM

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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