NADMO Director-General tours army worm affected farms in Mampong

The Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, has visited some farms in the Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region which have been affected by the army worm infestation.

The visit was to enable him to get first-hand information about the state of the army worm outbreak and how the organisation would complement the efforts of other institutions in fighting the invasion.

According to Nana Prempeh, the armyworm invasion has economic consequences, hence the government has taken major steps to battle the menace. 

During the visit, the farmers briefed the NADMO boss on how they were managing the situation.

They said there was the need to control the infestation to prevent a food crisis.

The pests feed on crops such as maize, cassava, soya bean, potato and cocoa.

Environmental concern

Mr Prempeh said the invasion was of environmental concern.

He reminded the farmers of the President’s directive to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to supply chemicals freely to them to spray their farms.

Already, MOFA, which has declared a crisis situation, had taken bold steps to bring the situation under control.

The NADMO director-general told the farmers of the formation of a national task force by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, to help battle the infestation.

He advised the farmers against selling the chemicals.

The director-general was accompanied by the Regional Director of NADMO, Mr Kwabena Nsenkyire, and the Mampong Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Appiah Kubi.

During the visit, a private company freely gave out some chemicals to the farmers.