Delta farmers lament destruction of  crops allegedly by estate developers activities 

Farmers at Omeluigboma in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta have cried out for help over alleged destruction of their crops by estate developers activities in the area.

The farmers appealed to the state government  to come to their aid to save them from the clutches of the developers and starvation as their entire farmland have been washed away by flood waters  occasioned by developers activities from dredgers  in the area.

Delta farmers lament as  estate developers dredging activities impacts their crops at Oko/Omeluigboma axis of Oshimili South LGA, Delta state

The farmers spokesperson and Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in the state, Chief Sylvanus Ejezie, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Thursday.

He said the call has become necessary to save them because for sometime now, the estate developers had engaged in sand dredging from the River Niger to reclaim a parcel of land in the area.

Ejezie said that the activities of the developers has pushed a lot of waters into their farms, thereby impacting over 50 hectares of farmland, washing away crops planted by farmers in the area.

He said that if nothing was done urgently, the farmers may resort to self help after several failed attempts to dialogue and reason with the developers over their loss.

Ejezie said that yams, cassava, rice, potatoes, maize, vegetables among others had been washed away by flood waters due to  the developers dredging activities.

He said that if the developers had given the farmers notice earlier,  they would not have cultivated their farm land this season.

According to Ejezie, over 200  farmers were impacted and more than 50 hectares of farmland washed off by the flood waters occasioned by the developers’ activities.

“They have been pumping sand from the River Niger to reclaim and sandfill the area thereby pushing waters over the farms and destroying our crops that were not matured for harvest.

“The sight is horrible, particularly  from the entrance by the tollgate near the Asaba end of the River Niger Bridge that link the Omeluigboma community.

“As a result, the road leading to Omeluigboma community is currently blocked, so the people managed to repair a wooding bridge to enable them cross over to their homes,’ he said.

Ejezie explained that the farmers and their families were facing serious challenges, adding that the situation may trigger hunger and much suffering as the people, predominantly agrarian,  may reap nothing at the end of the season.

“The farmers have approached the property developers who promised to assess, take stock and evaluate the damages then pay compensation but all the promises were to no avail,” he said.

He called on the state government to intervene to salvage the situation and enable the farmers recover their losses.

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According to him, the farmers were taking by surprise without prio notice to enable them hedge against the disaster.

“The farmers were not give any notice and if there was a notice, the farmers would not have planted on the land space and the location.

“As I am talking to you, my farm is also affected; rice, potatoes, maize and others, if you can come to my farm to see things, you will cry for me.

“The damaged farms worth more than N200 million.

“This community is purely agrarian, and if nothing is done urgently, it will be a complete disaster, so, government need to do something fast about the situation,” Ejezie said.

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