Governor Ortom raises alarm as flood ravages farmlands in Benue

Following the flood that ravaged communities in Benue State in the last one week, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has expressed serious concern over the large portion of farmlands and food storage facilities that have been washed away due to flood in the last one week.

Consequently, has raised the alarm that the state and Nigeria may witnessed food scarcity in this year.

Ortom stated this on Saturday when he embarked on assessment tour of some villages and farm lands washed away by flood which happened last Sunday and Wednesday in the state.

According to him, ‘we are having serious issue on our hand, Benue is agrarian state and we have decided to take into area we have comparative advantage by initiating series of incentives to make Benue feed the country, but we can see the level of destruction the flood has caused us am afraid this will not lead to shortage of food scarcity this year.

The governor however appreciated the prompt action of President Buhari for directing NEMA to come to the aid of people of the state.

He said that two camps had already been opened in Makurdi to ensure that the displaced persons have shelter and also received assistance, while chairmen of the 23 LGAs have been directed to use some primary schools as designated camps for affected victims in their areas.

”Let me used this opportunity to express deepest appreciation to president Muhammadu Buhari for immediately coming to the aid of the victims and directing the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA to provide relief materials to support persons affected by the flood in Benue state”.

The flood submerged two major bridges on River Guma at Tor Kpande and Mande Ortom, where the governor personally killed a Puff Adder snake in the flood water. Farmlands and food barns were also destroyed in the affected communities.

About 11 (eleven) bridges and culverts were seen submerged, while close to 80 round huts and houses with about 350 persons rendered homeless in the area.

The worst hit communities include Tse-Adorogo, the governor’s village, Tse-Igba, Tse-Akor, Tse-Terzar, Tse-Abi, Tor Kpande and most of the villages on the stretch between Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi and Gbajimba, the local government council headquarters.

The disaster also left the newly constructed Daudu-Gbajimba, and University of Agriculture Makurdi roads impassable after several portions of the roads were washed away by the rising flood waters, the worst to be recorded in the area after the 2012 flood disaster.