A Multi-million naira automated farm located at Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala community in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra has shut down operations due to flash flood disaster which affected the property. The disaster resulted in the death of more than 25, 000 birds at the poultry section and adversely affected potatoes farm, fish pond and other crops sections. Dr Patrick Sule-Ugboma, Proprietor of Matuuci Farms Limited Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala in Ogbaru area of Anambra who took newsmen around some of the facility on Wednesday, said about 400 staffers of the company have been directed to stop work.
Communities in Ogbaru area of Anambra living along the River Niger coastline often experience flooding. Sule-Ugboma said his company has lost fortune due to the flood disaster that affected the farm sitting on 20 hectares of land. “We have lost more than 25,000 poultry birds, fish in our ponds worth several millions of naira and numerous other properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed by the flood”, he said.
According to Sule-Ugboma, the flood has equally affected some bridges on Onitsha-Ndoni road especially the bridge at Umunnakwo. It could be recalled the the collapse of the same Umunnakwo Bridge last year resulted to boat mishap which claimed many lives. Sule-Ugboma noted that the collapse of bridges on Ogbaru-Ndoni road poses serious danger to residents and other road users travelling from Ogwuikpele to neighbouring communities who now resort to crossing the river by wooden boats.
He used the medium to appeal to both Anambra and Federal governments to come to urgently come to the rescue of Ogbaru communities. “I am calling on Governor Charles Soludo to look into the plights since of our people especially with the menace of perennial flooding hitting Ogbaru communities again.” I also called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to consider the construction of the Onitsha-Ndoni road now in a deplorable state”, he said.
Sule-Ugboma regretted that in spite enormous agricultural and other economic activities in the area, enough were yet to be done in the provision of road infrastructure in Ogbaru, Delta, Imo and Rivers corridors. “Agriculture is the main stay of Ogbaru communities as well as communities in Delta, Imo and Rivers and inspire their contributions to our economy the people have been subjected to unduly neglect by successive state and Federal Governments”, Sule-Ugboma said.