Fall armyworms destroy 1,000 hectares of maize in Central Region

One thousand hectares of 6,000 hectares maize farm in the Central Region have been completely destroyed by fall armyworm.

Mr. Richard Baffour Asare, the Central Regional Operations Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), announced this at a public forum organised by the Gomoa East District Office of NADMO at Gomoa Buduburam in the Central Region.

He said the timely intervention by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), and the Regional Coordinating Council, salvaged the 5,000 hectares of the maize farm.

The public forum, which was attended by pupils, market women, farmers, and drivers among other stakeholders, was under the theme: “Safe Home Safe.”

Mr. Asare, however did not mention districts and communities, which were affected by the fall armyworm, but gave the assurance that workers of NADMO in the districts and regional offices were ready to deal with any situation that may arise.

He called on the farmers to report such incidences early to agric extension officers and NADMO, and spray their farms regularly, in accordance with expert advice, to ward off attacks by the fall armyworm.

Mr. Asare said NADMO was legally mandated to carry out inspection of offices, petrol and gas filling stations among others to ensure safety.

Mr. Joseph Quainoo, the Gomoa East District Officer of NADMO, said the forum was to sensitize residents of Gomoa Buduburam on the importance of safety at home, and educate them to avoid using sub-standard electrical cables to wire their homes to avert fire outbreaks.

He said studies had revealed that majority of domestic fire outbreaks were attributable to the usage of unapproved electrical cables and appealed to estate developers to use the correct ones.

Nana Kojo Essel, the Chief of Gomoa Buduburam, praised NADMO for organizing the forum to educate the residents on ensuring safety at home.

He however expressed disappointment in some youths for attacking officials of the Ghana National Fire Service, when fire gutted some buildings at Buduburam some time ago.

He said the chiefs and elders had cautioned the youth to desist from such acts, adding that they would not hesitate to hand over such miscreants to the law enforcement agencies.