A prolonged drought in Techiman, located in the Brong Ahafo Region, has prompted Islamic leaders in the town to hold special prayers, asking for divine intervention to bring rain.
Farmers in the municipality are expressing distress over the several weeks of drought, which has led to significant crop losses and put them in financial hardship. Techiman, known for its large Muslim population, is also a key producer of crops like corn and yam that supply food to other parts of the country. However, the lack of rainfall has devastated their fields, leaving many farmers unable to recover their investments.
Joy News’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo, reporting from the area, highlighted that some farmers had taken loans from banks to fund their farming activities, but the drought has made it impossible for them to repay the loans.
Mathew Tuah, the 2010 Best District Farmer, shared his frustration, saying, “This year, the rain has treated us very badly. On my farm, I planted three times on the same field, but the sun destroyed everything. I took a loan of 1,200 cedis from the bank, but now I can’t pay it back.” He further explained that the drought has affected his ability to support his children’s education, lamenting that his child, who was supposed to go to school in Obuasi, might miss the opportunity because of the financial strain.
Mujis Abdulai, an Agricultural Extension Officer in the area, explained that the major planting season runs from April to August, during which rains are crucial for a good harvest. However, this year, the rains have been almost nonexistent, with only one instance of rainfall in the minor planting season, which runs from August to December. This lack of rain has left farmers struggling to feed themselves and their families, let alone bring crops to market.
“We are concerned about even what the farmers will eat themselves, not to mention what they can sell at the market… I fear this could lead to a food crisis,” Abdulai told Joy News.
In an effort to change the situation, the local Islamic community organized a special prayer session on Saturday at a school park in Techiman. Led by religious leaders, the prayers included the recitation of verses from the Quran, asking for rain. Despite the intense heat, men, women, and children gathered for the prayers, drawing inspiration from the teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, who is said to have prayed in similar circumstances during droughts.
One of the prayer leaders explained, “We waited a long time for God to send rain, but when it didn’t come, our Mallams and Imams gathered to pray, as the Prophet did with His disciples during times of drought. We trust that the rains will come, Insha Allahu.”
The community remains hopeful that their prayers will lead to a change in the weather, and the much-needed rains will finally arrive.
