A poultry farmer, Victor Gezie, has recounted how heavy rains and flooding destroyed his farm at Dawhenya in the Greater Accra Region, killing more than 1,600 birds and causing extensive financial losses.
Mr Gezie, owner of Grey Farms, said he and his workers initially monitored rising water levels as the rains began, hoping the situation would not worsen.
“When the rains started, we were moving around checking the water levels to see how best we could protect the cages from flooding,” he said.
He explained that although the water level in front of the gate appeared manageable at first, the situation quickly escalated.
“At a point, the water level in front of our gate had reduced, so we thought it would not enter the compound. We all went back to our rooms,” he recounted.
However, he said a loud noise from a neighbouring property signalled the beginning of a major collapse that triggered sudden flooding.
“All of a sudden, I heard a very loud noise from the opposite side. We are surrounded by different properties, all fenced, so I knew something had gone wrong,” he said in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem.
According to him, a collapsed wall from an adjoining property worsened the situation, allowing floodwaters to rush into the poultry farm.
“Before I could open the door, the wall fence of the plot beside us broke and collapsed into our compound. That was when the water started rushing in,” he explained.
Mr Gezie said the situation deteriorated rapidly, forcing them to flee for safety as water levels rose to dangerous heights.
“We called the boys to come out, and before we knew it, the water was at chest level. We had to climb over the fence and move across to other compounds to escape,” he said.
He added that even nearby areas were heavily flooded, forcing them to continue moving until they found safer ground.
“We kept moving from one fence to another. In some places, the water was at neck level. We just had to hold on and keep moving until we got to safety,” he said.
Mr Gezie said they later returned after the rains subsided, only to discover that all the birds had died.
“When we came back, all our birds in the cages had died. We lost about 1,630 layers,” he said.
He also revealed that harvested eggs prepared for delivery to a customer were completely destroyed by the floodwaters.
“We had already packed eggs for a customer who was supposed to pick them up, but everything was washed away,” he added.
The farmer said he had earlier contacted the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for assistance but was advised to send pictures and videos for assessment.
“I called NADMO a long time ago. They asked me to send pictures and videos and said they would come and assess the situation, but the damage had already started getting worse,” he said.
He added that the aftermath of the flood has left the area in an unbearable condition.
“The place is even smelling badly now, and it has spread towards the roadside,” he said.
Mr Gezie noted that he invested heavily in the business with support from his brother and said the losses were devastating.
“My brother helped me with the capital, and we invested so much into this poultry farm. Everything is gone,” he said.
His comments come as government agencies continue rescue, relief and recovery efforts following Monday’s floods, which claimed lives, displaced residents and caused widespread destruction across parts of the Greater Accra Region.
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