The fire, which broke out on Sunday, tore through farmlands at Asuyie and Aworowa, burning mature cashew trees and cocoa plantations that form the backbone of the local economy.

For many affected farmers, the losses represent years of investment wiped out in a matter of hours.

Residents told Adom News that the blaze spread rapidly across the dry landscape, making it difficult to control before extensive damage was done. Several farmers now face uncertainty over how they will sustain their families in the coming season.

“The fire has taken everything we depended on. Some of us have lost farms we have nurtured for years,” one farmer lamented.

The destruction has plunged communities into economic hardship, with farmers losing both current income and future production. Many fear they may not recover without external support.

Following the incident, residents have appealed to the government, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for relief items, financial assistance, and support to restore their farms.

The Assembly Member for Asuyie, Owusu Adamu, also called for intensified public education on fire prevention, particularly during the dry season, to reduce the risk of similar disasters. He urged authorities to respond swiftly to help farmers rebuild their livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the Techiman North District NADMO Director, Adamu Mohammed, assured residents that the situation has been assessed and formally reported for further action. He cautioned the public against activities that could trigger bushfires, noting that the Assembly’s by-laws prohibit such acts and that offenders will be sanctioned.

Mr Mohammed added that the District Assembly is revamping community fire volunteer groups to strengthen prevention, early response, and safety measures across the district.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by hunters operating in the area. He therefore advised hunters and residents to exercise caution with fire, especially during the dry season, to prevent similar destruction in Asuyie and Aworowa.

As the affected communities count their losses, they continue to appeal for urgent support to help them recover from the impact of the bushfire.

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The multi-million-cedi projects, which were nearing completion about three years ago, have since been abandoned, leaving the structures exposed to harsh weather and gradual deterioration.

A visit by Adom News revealed that the staff bungalows, meant to house ORCC workers, are now surrounded by thick vegetation, making them highly vulnerable to bushfires. As a result, staff continue to rent private accommodation while the state-built facilities remain unused.

The situation is compounded by the deterioration of office spaces, which have been taken over by bats and reptiles, further reducing the lifespan of the buildings. Nearby projects, including the Oti Regional Police Headquarters, are facing similar challenges, creating serious accommodation problems for security personnel.

Speaking to Adom News, the security officer in charge of the facility, Kofi Salifu, said the contractor responsible has not returned to the site for over three years, despite repeated attempts to reach them.

Mr. Salifu also revealed that he has not been paid for more than two years, causing severe hardship for him and his family. He appealed to authorities to clear the overgrown vegetation to prevent a potential disaster and called on the government to release outstanding funds to the contractor to complete the project, stressing that finishing the facilities would enhance efficiency and support socio-economic development in the Oti Region.

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The deadly incident, which occurred on Monday, February 4, 2025, brings the total number of yam barns destroyed by bushfires in the electoral area to five in recent weeks.

The latest fire outbreak has raised widespread concerns among farmers in the area, who are appealing to the Ministry of Agriculture, the government, and other stakeholders for assistance.

Mr. Eric Akwasi Asumadu, a farmer who lost his entire yam stock to the fire, told the Ghana News Agency that he finds it difficult to recover from this loss and has appealed to the authorities for help.

Five farmers, including Mr. Kwasia Anase Mensah, Mr. Tapo Nchaame, Mr. Adjei Yaw Agbeviako, and others, have been particularly hard-hit by the fires.

Mr. Mensah’s entire yam barn was reduced to ashes on January 13, 2025, when a similar bushfire swept through the farm at Kpare Kpare, destroying his entire stock of yams and leaving him with nothing.

Mr. Nchaame’s story is equally heartbreaking. He lost over 1,000 tubers of yam to a bushfire at Tapon-Akura earlier this year, with the fire wiping out his entire stock and resulting in a huge financial loss.

For many farmers, the loss is not just financial but also emotional, as they had invested their time, effort, and resources into their farms, only to watch them go up in flames.

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The directive aims to mitigate the risk of bush fires as the Harmattan season approaches.

The Kwawu mountains, characterized by protective forests, have been historically susceptible to fires during dry seasons, mainly due to human activities.

However, collaborative efforts over the past three years involving Adom News, local authorities, and the Ghana National Fire Service have successfully prevented bush fires in the region.

Speaking to Adom News’ Akwasi Dwamena, Municipal Fire Commander, DO2 Samuel Mante, to understand the preparedness measures in place for combating bush fires, he outlined plans to conduct training sessions for farmers and individuals who regularly utilize fire in their daily tasks.

He sternly warned against setting fires in the forest, emphasizing that violators would face legal consequences.

He also mentioned that, there are environmental agents situated at various points in the district to detect fires and report perpetrators.

“This is the season where our attention is mostly on farmers, hunters and smokers due to the tendency of starting bush fires. We will sensitize them first so any one who is caught setting unpermitted fires in the bushes will be severely dealt with” he said.

DO2 Samuel Mante also mentioned that the abandoned fire tender which was in bad shape has been repaired to be on standby for emergency situations.