General News of Friday, 31 August 2007

Source: GNA

Flood victims in Fungu/Fio appeal for help

Tamale, Aug. 31, GNA - A week of torrential rains in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region has destroyed food crops, houses and other property estimated at millions of cedis and rendered many residents homeless.

Miss Lariba Abudu, Assemblywoman for Fungu/Fio Electoral Area at Walewale, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Friday, said her electoral area was the hardest hit. She said rivers in the area had spilt over their banks, cutting off the electoral area from the rest of the district. "The area now is only accessible by helicopter," she added.

She explained that in previous years, during similar floods the people were been able to harvest the remaining crops using boats and canoes, "but this year, the method is not possible because the floods have come along with dangerous reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles". "Any attempt to harvest the few remaining crops will mean risking one's life," she added.

Miss Abudu appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), as well as philanthropists to assist the people to mitigate their plight.

She said the affected communities, mostly farmers, would be particularly grateful if they could be assisted with tomatoes and watermelon seeds to plant after the rains.