By Da-uri A. Fidelis

A destructive bout of torrential rainfall on the evening of October 9th has left an eight-hectare sorghum farm in Ulkpong, Jirapa Municipality, completely washed away. The farmer, Mr. Kommiri Kwaku, is grappling with the staggering level of destruction and the substantial investment he had put into his now-devastated farmland.

In an emotional interview with Mr. ETO’O GH, the host of Jirapa FM’s “Yiriyele” program, Honorable Huudi, the Assembly Member for the Ulkpong electoral area, likened the tragedy to the sudden loss of a healthy child. “As I speak to you, I am at the residence of Mr. Kommiri Kwaku, along with other community members, to console him,” he said.

“From his facial expression, you will realize that he is really hurt. It is just like you losing a healthy child who died all of a sudden.”

Mr. Huudi revealed that he has already reported the incident to the Jirapa National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) director, the Municipal Chief Executive, and the Member of Parliament for the Jirapa Constituency.

Mr. Huudi Yahaya took it upon himself to connect with the NADMO director to gather more information regarding the situation. According to Mr. Adamu, the NADMO director, his team promptly visited the farm and assessed the extent of the destruction. However, he was unable to confirm when assistance could be provided to the distressed farmer, leaving the affected community in suspense.

In a phone conversation, Mr. Adamu the Jirapa Municipal NADMO director disclosed that he had reported the matter to his regional superiors. Furthermore, his team had conducted a site visit to assess the extent of the damage.

However, Mr. Adamu could not provide a definitive timeline for when support would be extended to the distressed farmer.
Regrettably, some community members who called into the “Yiriyele” program expressed skepticism about whether Mr. Kwaku would receive any support from NADMO.

They cited previous incidents where disaster victims had their damages assessed but ultimately received no assistance, leaving them to cope with their losses independently.

In response to the dire situation, Mr. Huudi Yahaya made a heartfelt appeal to the general public to come forward and support Mr. Kwaku during this challenging period. “Yiriyele,” a daily interactive program from Mondays to Fridays, broadcast from 4 pm to 5:30 pm, is dedicated to highlighting community development issues and mobilizing duty bearers to address community challenges when necessary.

It offers a platform for the audience to actively participate in discussions, aligning with the vision of Jirapa FM, which is “changing lives through broadcasting.”

The fate of Mr. Kommiri Kwaku’s farm remains uncertain, with the Assembly member and concerned community members eagerly awaiting NADMO’s response and hoping for a swift resolution to the farmer’s plight.

Source: Huudu Yahaya/ Jirapa FM