‘3,200 hectares of rice plantation submerged’

The Managing Director of the Lower Niger Basin Development,  Ilorin, Kwara State, Mr.   Abdubakaar Aduragba on Wednesday said more than  3,200 hectares of rice plantation under the Tada-Shonga irrigation Scheme, has been washed away by flood.

He said the Tada-Shonga irrigation, which was expected to yield about 53,000 metric tones of N3bn rice has been washed away by flood.

He stated in Ilorin that the scheme, which was supervised by the Lower Niger Basin Development  was submerged by flood resulting  from the overflow of the River Niger in Tada-Shonga of  Edu Local Government of the state.

He lamented that the disaster had unleashed great hardship and loss to the affected farmers and had impeded efforts to provide jobs to many people.

Our correspondent also gathered that some farmlands in Bacita and Jebba had been washed away by the rampaging flood.

Efforts to get the reaction of the  state government proved abortive as the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communication, Dr.Muyideen Akorede, as he did not respond to our correspondent’s enquiries.