The Proprietor of a farm complex, Matuuci Farms Ltd., Dr Patrick Sule-Ugboma has revealed that the multi-million naira automated farm located at Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala Community in Ogbaru council area of Anambra State has shut down operations due to flood disaster.
The disaster resulted in the death of more than 25,000 birds at the poultry section of the farm and adversely affected fish and potatoes and other crops.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Sule-Ugboma said that about 400 staff of the company had been directed to stop work.
The communities in Ogbaru are living on the River Niger coastline and often experience flooding.
Sule-Ugboma said that the farm sitting on 20 hectares of land had lost a fortune to the flood disaster.
“We have lost more than 25,000 poultry birds, fish in our ponds worth several millions of naira, and numerous other property worth several millions of naira,” he said.
According to Sule-Ugboma, the flood has equally affected some bridges on Onitsha-Ndoni Road especially Umunnakwo Bridge.
However, it was reported that the collapse of the same Umunnakwo Bridge in 2022 resulted in a boat mishap which claimed some lives.
Sule-Ugboma said that collapse of bridges on Ogbaru-Ndoni Road posed dangers to residents and travellers, who had resorted to crossing the river by wooden boats.
He appealed to the federal and Anambra State governments to urgently address the situation.
“I am calling on Governor Charles Soludo to look into the plight of our people, especially with flooding hitting Ogbaru communities again.
”I also call on the Niger Delta Development Commission to consider reconstruction of the Onitsha-Ndoni Road,” he said.
“Agriculture is the mainstay of communities in Ogbaru as well as communities in Delta, Imo and Rivers states,” Sule-Ugboma said.
