Bayelsa govt seeks FG’s assistance to tackle ocean surge, encroachment

The governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has asked the federal government for help in preventing coastal settlements in his state from being flooded by the Atlantic Ocean.

Diri raised the alarm on Wednesday as he assessed the extent of the destruction caused by ocean encroachment in the Brass Local Government Area’s Odioama community.

The governor said he chose to attend personally rather than send a delegate so he could examine things for himself. He spoke to the Odioama council of chiefs, elders, youth, and women at the community town hall.

He gave the neighbourhood his word that the state would launch a 1.5 km beach protection project to stop the ocean surge that had buried roughly 250 buildings in the previous decade.

Diri said the government would commence the shoreline project while awaiting Federal Government’s collaboration.

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He, however, noted that it was beyond the scope of the state to address such challenges in Odioama, Koluama, Sangana, Agge and other communities facing similar threats.

“l did not come here for a political campaign but rather to see the plight of the Odioama people and have first-hand knowledge of what is happening to the community.

“I cannot sit in my office to hear that houses are giving way. I have been taken around and seen houses that are giving way to the ocean surge. The community’s cemetery has been threatened.

“l will see what the engineers in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure will bring to the State Executive Council meeting.

“We know that the cost will be prohibitive and beyond the state government. We call on the Federal Government that while we use our meagre resources to start something, we want them to also collaborate with us in stopping the sea encroachment in Odioama and other communities,” Diri said.

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