Reps urge FG to save Bayelsa community from erosion

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to provide financial assistance to combat the destructive erosion affecting the historic Ijaw community of Odi Kingdom in Bayelsa State. The call comes as the community faces the threat of extinction if urgent measures are not taken to address the environmental crisis.

The motion, sponsored by Oboku Oforji, was presented during a plenary session and highlighted the severe erosion that has been eroding the community's homes, farmlands, public infrastructure, and livelihoods. The motion noted that the erosion has been exacerbated by an earthquake that struck the area in 2025, accelerating the destruction of buildings and other assets.

It warned that the erosion is consuming portions of the community daily, leaving residents vulnerable to displacement, poverty, and further environmental hazards. The House emphasized that Odi Kingdom, one of the oldest Ijaw settlements in Bayelsa State, is facing an existential threat and called for immediate federal intervention to prevent further destruction.

The motion also urged relevant federal agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Niger Delta Development Commission, Ecological Project Office, and others to conduct an emergency assessment and initiate permanent shoreline protection, erosion control, and land reclamation projects.

The House expressed concern that no comprehensive intervention has been undertaken by the relevant federal agencies despite the scale of the disaster. The sponsor of the motion, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, emphasized that it is the primary responsibility of the government to ensure the security and welfare of the people and called on the Federal Government to act to protect lives and property threatened by the disaster.