Floods in Mepe again - Rice field destroyed

Floods have hit Mepe in the North Tongu District in the Volta Region again, submerging a 40-hectare rice field in the area of Adudornu. 

This time, persistent rains in Ho and its environs caused the Kalakpa River to swell with strong currents, flowing through the Adaklu and Central Tongu districts to North Tongu, where it ran over the farm at dawn.

The Volta Regional Director of Agriculture, William Dzamefe, said the farm belonged to a private company, which had seeded the land barely a fortnight ago.

He said the jobs of 15 permanent workers and 20 casuals on the farm had now been put on hold. The floods come almost a year after similar floods caused by spillage from the Volta Dam wreaked havoc in the Tongu area and other parts of southern Volta Region.

New field

Mr Dzamefe said the landowners had decided to allocate a field on higher grounds to the owners of the farm.  However, he said, planting on the new field would be too late for the major season.

He explained that planting could only take place in the minor season between November this year and February next year. The Regional Director of Agriculture gave an assurance that there was no threat to food security in the area.

The floods did not extend to homes and no casualty was recorded. As of last Monday, the farm was still deluged which showed no sign of receding.