The landslide, which occurred recently in Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State after heavy rains, swept away houses and property worth millions of naira into the nearby River Nun. It destroyed electricity cables, and threw the town into darkness.
Following the incident, the Odi Council of Chiefs has appealed to the Federal Government to approve the Odi shoreline protection project as the river has again overflowed its banks, destroyed four houses and a large portion of the major road in the community.
Chief Throughman Abiama, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs’ council when Daily Trust visited the area, said if nothing is done urgently, the community may soon be washed away by the River Nun.
Abiama also called on the Niger Delta ministry to take urgent steps that would temporarily prevent the community from suffering the same fate again, while they wait for the approval of the Odi shoreline protection project by the Federal Government.
Also speaking, the chairman of Odi Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Goddy Niweigha, said the community learnt that the project was captured in the 2018 budget and advertised in major newspapers by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, with contractors pre-qualified by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“We are pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari to come to our aid and ensure that the approval process is fast tracked. Time is of essence, as you can see, Odi community is on the verge of being washed away by the River Nun,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Seriake Dickson has visited the community to inspect the level of damage caused by the landslide in the area.
He called on the Federal Government to intervene in the grave ecological threat facing some communities in the state through the Ecological Fund office.
He disclosed that other communities in the state like Akassa, Egweama, Koluama, Twon-Brass, Agbere and Toru-Orua were under threat from similar challenges.
According to the governor, while it would be good and expected for the Federal Government to wade into the issue, the state government would commence immediate steps to respond to the development within the limits of available resources.
He also directed the ministries of Environment, Works and Infrastructure to jointly undertake a technical assessment of the area, the impact of the landslide and recommend lasting solutions.
He said, “We have seen the devastation caused by the landslide and this is not something new to most of our communities.
“We have the Ecological Fund managed by the Federal Government and these are the purposes for which it was set up. It was for people who actually need that type of intervention.
“The situation in Odi is pathetic; our prayers are with the people of this community and its leadership. I have seen the houses destroyed and swept into the river but no life was lost.
“We will not wait for the Federal Government or its intervention agencies. It would be nice if they come to our aid like they ought to and I will make that request but seeing our people in this state, despite the funding constraint, we will still start something immediately,” he said.
Governor Dickson, however, expressed joy that no one died due to the disaster and assured the people of government’s commitment to tackle the environmental challenges facing them, despite paucity of funds.
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