…Residents call for help as poultry farmer loses over N150 million to menace
From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The people of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State ought to be thrilled during the rainy season but the perennial flood that ravages the area has continued to put them in precarious position each year.
Ogbaru lies along the coastal area east of the River Niger, arguably the third longest river in sub-Sahel.
To the locals, the ecological challenge is perceived as a huge curse, hence the rainy season is a wish they never want to bear in successive years.
Ogbaru, which has a reputation for being the food basket of the state, is prone to flood menace, which washes away roads, bridges, farms, schools, churches and residential houses.
Ogbaru is made up of 15 indigenous communities. They are Odekpe Ohita, Atani, Akili Ozizor, Ochuche Umuodu, Umuzu, Amiyi, Ogbakuba, Mputu, Umunankwo, Ogwuaniocha, Ossomala, Obeagwe, Akili Ogidi, Ogwuikpele and one non-indigenous community.
The communities are rich in agricultural produce, including yam, cassava, maize, rice, potatoes, beans and okra, which are harvested in large quantities.
Interestingly, Ogbaru hosts the eight viable oil wells in Anambra State, a development that has logically caused Anambra to be admitted into the league of oil-producing states in Nigeria.
The proximity of Ogbaru to River Niger makes it susceptible to flood, especially when the river overflows its banks, and there have been several incidents of flooding in the area over the years – with accompanying devastation of farmlands, buildings, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and churches.
A visitor to Ogbaru would easily notice that, recently, flood destroyed the multibillion-naira automated Matucci Farms Limited located in Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala community, leading to the shutting down of the company.
Speaking to newsmen at Ossomala, the director of the farm, Sir (Dr.) Patrick Sule Ugboma, disclosed that the farm lost about 25,000 poultry birds, estimated to cost over N150 million, to the recent flood in the area, while properties worth several millions of naira were also destroyed.
Ugboma said that more than 400 workers of the company lost their jobs following the flood disaster. He noted that the ugly development has adversely affected the economy of Ogbaru in particular and the state in general.
A major flood disaster which struck the Ogbaru clan in 2022 led to the loss of lives and submerging of farmlands, residential buildings, schools, churches and health facilities.
Sunday Mesiobi, 70, a native of Ogbe-Akpoma, Atani, was reportedly found dead in his abode after a deluge that surged into his house and drowned him apparently while he was asleep.
That was not all. A fatal boat mishap at Umunnakwo community in the same period claimed 76 lives. The victims were reportedly escaping from the menacing flood that swept through various Ogbaru communities when the boat in which they were travelling capsized.
Meanwhile, basic infrastructure in Ogbaru, especially roads, bridges, electricity, schools and farmlands have been destroyed due to the frequent flooding of the area and other ecological challenges, eliciting appeals by Ogbaru people to the state and federal governments and relevant agencies to come to their rescue.
For instance, on behalf of the community, Ugboma passionately urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to consider the construction of the Onitsha-Atani-Ossomala-Ogwuikpele-Ase Azaga-Ndoni road, which is in a deplorable condition.
Ugboma said: “This vital economically impactful road will link the Ogbaru LGA in Anambra State with their kith and kin in Delta, Imo and Rivers states,” stressing that agriculture, which is the mainstay of the people, has suffered from the neglect of the community by successive state and federal administrations.
“The Ogbaru people in Anambra, Delta, Rivers and Imo constitute the food basket of these states and the central road connecting the clan, the Onitsha-Atani-Ossomala-Ogwuikpele-Ase Azaga-Ndoni road, is in total desrepair. We, therefore, find it extremely difficult to move our cash crops from the farms to the hinterland,” he lamented.
He also explained that Ogbaru, in generic terms, is a clan of people of identical culture, language and way of life. The people, who are mainly spread along the coast of the River Niger across the four states, are mainly farmers and fishermen.
While remarking that the communities in Ogbaru were largely agrarian, the community leader and renowned philanthropist regretted that, although the terrain was very fertile for crop production and fishing, the area was also prone to perennial flooding due to its proximity to the River Niger.
“These perennial floods have badly affected farming activities and further impoverished the people. Most of the communities have become inaccessible due to the decrepit state of the only road leading into all the communities.
“Furthermore, about a half of these communities have been in total darkness for upwards of 10 years in most cases. Ogbaru LGA has been totally neglected by successive local, state and federal governments despite its food-basket status.
“It is equally noteworthy that Ogbaru hosts the eight viable oil wells in Anambra State, which had conferred oil-producing status on the state. Despite the oil revenue accruable to Anambra State from the Ogbaru oil wells, basic infrastructure is nearly non-existent, the few ones have collapsed, while poverty among the people is on continuous, upward rise,” he said.
When Daily Sun visited the area, it was observed that some portions of the Onitsha-Atani-Ossomala-Ogwuikpele-Ase Azaga-Ndoni road had failed and several bridges along the same road, especially the Ossomala Bridge at Umunnakwo community, had collapsed following a combination of flooding and erosion.
Some of the residents going either to Ogwuikpele from Umunnakwo or travelling from Ogwuikpele to neighbouring communities were seen crossing the river in canoes on account of the collapse of the Umunnakwo bridge.
Talking to Daily Sun, some residents wondered why, despite being the food basket of the country, as well as an oil-producing area, state and federal governments have over the years neglected Ogbaru town.
“Ogbaru people have been marginalized for too long by the state and federal governments. We don’t have good road network. Our communities have been despoiled by flood. This marginalization is taking place despite our being food and oil-producing areas,” lamented Chief Daniel Nwabueze, a community leader in Atani.
Nwabueze urged the federal government to repair the dilapidated roads in Ogbaru, as well as dredge the River Niger to obviate the flooding of the area due to the overflow of the river during heavy rains.
He also called on the Anambra State government to promptly supply yam seedlings and other farming implements to farmers in the area to boost agricultural production.
“Since we are a food-producing area, the Anambra State government should come to our rescue by giving us money to farm and give us farming incentives on time. We don’t want the government to give us mattresses, pillows, bread or rice each time we have floods here in Ogbaru. We want nets to catch fish, since we’re fishermen,” he said.
Mrs. Akpati also complained about the yearly flood that wreaks havoc on the community, especially the destruction of farmlands, roads and houses, saying this has affected the economy of the clan.
“Even though we produce yam, cassava, pepper, beans and rice in large quantities, we don’t have good roads to take our farm produce to the market, and this development has impoverished farmers and residents here.
“We are have serious flooding problems in this area. About this time last year, everybody in this community (Odekpe) relocated to the upland areas because the flood we witnessed then submerged several buildings and farmlands. So, we’re calling on government to come to our rescue,” she added.
Similarly, Chief Okwudili Ozegbe, chairman, Odekpe Community Vigilante, decried the longstanding neglect of the area by government.
He appealed to the two levels of government to come to the rescue of the town by finding a lasting solution to the flooding of the area as well rebuilding the dilapidated roads in Ogbaru LGA to enable farmers convey their farm produce to neighbouring towns.
Ozegbe said: “We are facing several challenges in this community but the major ones are flood and bad roads. So, we are appealing to the federal and state governments to come to our rescue.
“We are farmers and also fishermen but, unfortunately, we’re unable to carry our farm and aquatic produce to Onitsha Market and the various markets in our neighboring communities due to bad roads.”
