Ejura Farms flooded, 20,000 bags of maize destroyed

Ejura (Ash), May 21, GNA - The Ejura Farms Ghana Limited lost 20,000 mini bags of stored maize and a large quantity of bagged cashew nuts, following the flooding of the company's premises on Wednesday night after a heavy downpour.

Other items destroyed included a 10,000-tonne capacity storage facility elevator complex with its large pits conveyor system and cold storage facilities.

Mr Victor Agbeko, Managing Director of the company, disclosed this at Ejura on Thursday when he briefed the Ghana News Agency on the flood and the extent of damage it had caused to the company. He said about 150 acres of fields that had been prepared and planted with maize were eroded and the maize washed away. The rest of the items destroyed are the company's workshop with complementary facilities for spare-parts, protective fencing and KVIP toilet facilities.

Mr Agbeko said the water overflowed the company's rain-gauge capacity of 95.8mm and consequently inundated the area. Mr Agbeko, who emphasised that the maize was heavily soaked with water and that nothing could be done about it, added that until the floodwater subsided, the extent of damage could not be established. The flood also affected the Ejura township, destroying more than 10 houses and displacing about 300 people who are now putting up with friends and relatives.

Property destroyed was mostly personal belongings with the cost yet to be determined, local authorities said. Madam Elizabeth Owusu, Ejura-Sekyedumase District Chief Executive who visited the Ejura Farms and the displaced people, expressed sympathy for them.

She noted that the destruction of the government's maize buffer stock at the Ejura Farms was a major set back and a threat to the national food security agenda.

She announced that the assembly would re-settle the displaced people.