A man and his family of two wives and eight children who sought refuge in Ghana following terrorism activities in their community in Burkina Faso now have their fate in limbo as drought threatens the farm investment of their employer.
Farming areas in Ghana especially the five Northern Regions experienced drought in the current farming season affecting many farms.
A field visit conducted on the 11th of August, 2024 indicates damming states of farms due to the drought.
An award-winning commercial farmer cum philanthropist John Dimah has started counting his losses since 55 acres and more of his maize fields wilter slowly since there have been no rains in the Sisaala Area and the Upper West Region at large.
John Dimah working under the business name GabAgric Limited has often engaged not less than 100 people comprising both permanent and temporary workers.
65-year-old Salam Saworoko and his two wives fleeing terrorism activities in a hard-hit Kaya town in Burkina Faso were sheltered by John Dimah. Their landlord also employed them as caretakers of his animals and farm hands during the farming season.
The two-year engagement has cemented an employer-employee relationship.
Salam Saworoko has 8 children with his two wives with the youngest wife being 18 years of age.
Speaking to Upperwestnews,com, the field manager Issifu Gbene Waziru bemoaned the sorry state of the maize field, especially at a time when the cost of inputs had skyrocketed. He says, there is no hope of recuperating from that wilting state even if the rains set in again in the nearest future. He expressed worry over how their employer will deal with the shock and clear his debtors after this bad season.
Also speaking to this portal, the asylum seeker from Kaya town in Burkina Faso Salam Saworoko, expressed shock at the turn of events while still trying to figure out what might have resulted in this sudden drought. He added that his family’s fate is in limbo since their survival depends on the success of their employer.
Speaking to John Dimah on the phone, he expressed shock at the sudden and unexpected turn of events. He said this situation is a first of its kind since he took up farming years ago. The spectacle that greets him anytime he visits the farm kills his spirit despite words of encouragement from his farm hands. “I leave this in the hands of God ” he added.
By Ayamga Bawa Fatawu
