Governor Alerts of Ocean Incursion into Bayelsa State’s Coastal Communities

Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, has alerted of surge of Atlantic Ocean on communities in the Bayelsa State’s coastal areas.

The governor says the communities, including Odioma, Koluama, Sangana, and several others are on the verge of being submerged by the ocean waves.

Diri, raising the alarm while inspecting residents of Odioma in the brass local government area, seeks the assistance of the federal government to contain the spread of the surge to other coastal communities.

He said several buildings had been submerged in the state’s coastal communities.

For a start, the governor said a 1.5 kilometer shore projection project would be embarked upon by his administration to check the ocean surge.

Diri, however, said the scope of the project required to effectively protect coastal communities from the ocean surge was beyond the capacity of the state government.

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While calling for intervention and support of the Federal Government on the shore protection project, Diri, stated that the state’s immense contribution to the economic wellbeing of the country needed to be reciprocated.

He said: “l did not come here for a political campaign, but to see the plight of Odioama people and have firsthand 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.

“By tomorrow (today), 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.”

Responding to the community’s requests, Diri directed the Commissioner for Water Resources to undertake a water project in the community, as well as directing his Lands and Housing counterpart to take over the building of a pavilion.