GRAND CAPE MOUNT – A major investment in the impoverished western region of Liberia, Obasanjo Farm has been gutted by fire leaving several properties, equipment and poultry products valued at about US$3 million destroyed.
Obasanjo Farms Liberia, incorporated (OFL), is a multi-million-dollar poultry project established to help revamp Liberia’s poultry industry. It is owned by the former President of Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo. The farm was established in 2013, upon the request of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
The fire outbreak on the farms occurred last Friday evening reportedly as a result of electrical faults.
No one suffered any injury as a result of the fire; however, the General Manager Muraina Olatoke, told reporters that the fire was caused by some fault that developed on the generator used to electrify the farm.
He said the incident left a 20-bedroom building burnt to ashes and destroyed medications used on the poultry products.
Mr. Olatoke explained, “At about 8:30 in the evening hour, I observed the bulbs started to go off one after another and it started drawing the attention of me and my colleagues on the farm who were at the farm. Just before we could make move, the house was already ablaze and nothing we could do further.”
He further stated that the cost of the medications destroyed is estimated at over US$300,000, while other equipment that got destroyed worth is estimated at over US$200,000.
These items, according to him, were in two separate store rooms within the burned building.
Mr. Olatoke also estimated the cost of the 20-room structure at US$200,000.
According to him, the two store rooms were part of the 20-room building. The remaining 18 rooms were used as residence for senior staff.
He lamented that some legal documents and transactions also got damaged in the fire.
He Mr. Olatuke said the damage is a very serious loss for the company and the residents of Gbah Town, where it is located.
Olatoke then explained that the farm has offered employment for many of the community resident.
Also speaking, Also the Accountant of the farms Omotoye Samuer said the destruction of the 20-room building at that farm has created a great setback for the company.
He, however, said the destruction will no way stop the operations of the farm; but he called on the government of Liberia to provide them some assistance in order for them to have a sustained full-scale operation and replace some of their damaged chemicals and structures.
Meanwhile, some employees of the Obasanjo farms Liberia Inc, are saddened by the manner in which the incident occurred.