Marauding elephants have invaded the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region and destroyed over 3000 hectares of farmlands belonging to farmers in the Sakoti Community of the district.
The invation of the communities in the Nabdam District by the elephants has been a regular occurrence for the past ten years. These elephants every year move from neighboring Togo through other communities into the Nabdam District between October and December in search of food.
Farmers say they are always left at the mercy of the marauding elephants without any help. The elephants eat everything that comes their way and destroy any tree that stand as a hindrance to their movements including the shea tress which are economic trees.
Speaking to the media, a farmer, Mr. Kuribil said farmers are experiencing the worst invasion of the elephants into the community.
“ 2017, 2018,2019, the elephants have always invaded and destroyed my farm and that of my colleagues but this year is worst. The elephants have come in their numbers. They consume everything in your farm if they invade it.”
Mr. Kuribil said the invasion of the elephants has denied farmers in the area from benefiting from Government’s Planting for Food and Jobs. “ We have not benefited from the program because when we farm, they come and destroy everything”
“ The elephants has destroyed our crops, shea tress and our animals which serve as a buffer for farmers when we lose our farm produce.”
The Member of Parliament and parliamentary candidate of the NDC in the Nabdam constituency at a press conference, called on the government and the appropriate agencies to intervene in other to alleviate the plight of the farmes
“ it is time for government to intervene in order to alleviate the plight of the farmers considering the fact that this victims invest so much into their farms including their money, energy, time and all their resources and in the end they reap nothing “
Dr. Mark Kurt Nawani said about 10000 farmers have been affected by destruction of farmlands by the elephants with over 3000 hectares of farms destroyed this year alone in the Nabdam District and this has the potential to create hunger in the area.
Dr. Nawani has called on government to compensate farmers who have suffered loss of their farmlands.
“ I wish to say that It is crucial that mitigation measures are put in place by government, particularly, government should compensate all persons who have suffered job losses and human injury.”
The Hon. Nawani also accused government of sleeping over the issue and pretending that all is well in the district.
“ this government has slept on this matter and pretended that all is well with the people of Sakoti when all indicators point to the fact that there is a looming severe hunger that is roaring it’s ugly head, only waiting for something more tragic to happen then they come crying more than the bereaved.”
The elephants have so far destroyed about 1000 hectares of rice and over 2000 hectares of maize in the district.
The forestry decision and the National Disaster Management Organization were yet to visit the sight at the time of filing this report.