Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Monday lamented that cocoa and kolanut farms covering over 200 hectares of land have been destroyed by fire in some towns recognised as cocoa belt of Ekiti state this dry season.
The fire disaster occurred at Ikoro and Iloro communities in Ijero local government area of the state.
The chairman of the agency, Capt. Sunday Adebomi (rtd) said other cash crops destroyed by the fire were oranges, palm trees, plantain, pineapples, cassava, as well as maize farms worth several millions of naira.
The SEMA boss made the revelation in Ikoro-Ekiti Monday, during an assessment visit to the farms to ascertain the level of damage done by the disaster.
The SEMA helmsman accompanied by the officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said the message was communicated to his office by one of the affected farmers.
While commiserating with the affected farmers, the SEMA chair promised that “Ekiti state government would assist all the victims by giving you seedlings and chemicals as well as other relief materials in order to cushion the effects of the inferno.
“Cocoa and kolanut are two cash crops that had given us national recognition apart from providing economic supports to many citizens and we can’t afford to lose the comparative advantage we have been enjoying on these plants”.
The NEMA director of operations in Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, Mr. Olusegun Afolayan, said the fire incident, which affected about 40 farmers in the area had rendered them jobless.
He said: “NEMA and the SEMA have jointly visited some of the affected farm settlements for on the spot assessment of the damage. More than 200 hectares of cocoa and other cash crops plantations were destroyed by the inferno.
“I will forward the report of the inferno and the plight of the farmers to the headquarters of the agency and ensure that affected farmers get compensation. Let me equally warn our farmers to always take caution on how to avert future occurrence”.
A farmer, Mr. Dosumu Oladapo, lamented the situation, which he said, has brought sadness to him in view of the extent of damage done to his farm.
