Lafon County hit by hunger after devastating floods last year

Hunger is a big threat right now in Lafon County, the entire County is hungry due to heavy floods that occurred last year, said Nelson Uthou Ungang the MP Representing Lafon County in the national Parliament.

 Ungang told The Dawn in an interview on Monday that the level of hunger is severe and needs urgent intervention before the rainy season.

“There is Severe hunger, Most crops have been destroyed by flood, The entire 6 payams (pacidi, kurumi, Marguna,  burgilo, arilo and longito) have been affected,” he said.

Ungang visited his County recently where he was able to see first-hand the suffering of his people.

“We are approaching relevance institutions about this issue of hunger, the executive should listen and act immediately to the call, It is a serious threat because hunger started very early from November.  The new products for this year season will ripe in August, which is very long. Any humanitarian support has to be delivered before rainy season starts in April,” he said.

He said there are other issues facing them like lack of roads and services like education and health.

“Roads are a major concern because the place is isolated, underserved and forgotten. Lafon was popular during liberation struggle,” Ungang said.

He said that the major contributing factor to hunger in the area is the mono-cropping of sorghum by the community.

“Lack of education in the entire County is a serious concern, particularly in the Pari and Tenet corridors. There are roughly 14 schools with or without structures but all aren’t functioning,” Ungang said.

The MP also said he wrote a report based on the situation his people that will presented to the national parliament.

He said that Lafon has an estimated population of more than 100,000 people and 80 percent of this is affected by hunger.