The Northern Regional office of the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has predicted more torrential rainfall there this year, from now till the end of October.
In an interview with the B&FT, the Northern Regional Director of GMA, Mr Abdul Lambon, urged farmers and the public within the Northern belt to take note and strategise to avoid the havoc caused by the recent torrential rains.
A seven-hour downpour in Tamale and nearby communities on Sunday reportedly killed a woman, submerged many homes, and displaced hundreds of families.
The rains also destroyed a lot of property and farmlands which are the only source of livelihoods for victims, a situation which is likely to result in low yields this farming season.
According Abdul Lambon, the GMA has been collaborating with Agric extension officers to educate farmers to avoid cultivating certain crops such as maize, yam, and soya bean on low land because the lowlands are best for the cultivation of rice.
The farmers who have cultivated rice, yam soya bean and other cash rooms could not hold back their tears when the B&FT visited communities like Chanaanayili, Yendi, Salankpa, Sambu, Bimbila, Sagnarigu and Kpanbegu.
Members of some of the communities complained that on-going road projects contributed to the floods, urging authorities to expedite work on the roads to save them further distress.
Razak Yakubu, a farmer from Salankpa, said he took a loan to cultivate his farm with the intention of generating some revenue to pay back only for the floods to destroy his farm.
He noted that due to low rainfall the previous season, he was not able to generate the needed yield, adding that if government and other stakeholders do not come to their aid, they will suffer greatly.
He stressed that the floods could have been prevented had the abandoned road projects which have accompanying drainage systems, been completed.
Ayisha Ibrahim, another farmer, also cried that her only source of livelihood has been taken away by the floods, asking government for support.
“I cannot take care of my children’s education if am not able to harvest the crops,” she said.
