Regional News of Friday, 26 October 2012

Source: Joy Online

Landslide destroys cocoa farms in Prestea

Twenty acres of cocoa farms have been destroyed at Wassa Asikuma and Wassa Nkran in the Prestea Huni/Valley District following a heavy rainfall last Friday affecting sixty cocoa farmers.

Mr Iddirisu Salifu Mohammed, the District Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), revealed this to the Ghana News Agency when he visited the affected farms together with the Member of Parliament for the Prestea Huni/Valley, Mr Francis Adu-Blay Koffie.

He said the destruction which occurred on October 19 was as a result of a landslide that occurred during the torrential rainfall.

Mr Salifu Mohammed said the Aboso Zonal Coordinator for NADMO is also assessing other affected areas adding that a report would soon be forwarded to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Cocoa Board for support.

Mr Adu-Blay Koffie said he would also institute some urgent measures to help complement the efforts of the NADMO office and called on the victims to exercise patience whiles assistance is on the way.

Madam Hannah Danquah, an 80-year old widow who was one of the affected victims at Wassa Asikuma, appealed to government to come quickly to their aid as cocoa farming was their only livelihood.