Sea incursion ravages Ilaje communities
Sea incursion ravages Ilaje communities
From Martins Fasusi, Okitipupa
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Residents of Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government are currently battling with the effects of ocean surge as many other communities in the area have been equally affected.
While speaking with The Hope, secretary of Ayetoro community, Otunba Dele Kudehinde said for some days, the whole community has been flooded while many houses were lost into the sea.
He said the project for the construction of sea barrier was awarded in 2004 by Niger Delta Development Corporation (NDDC) to a local company but was withdrawn and re-awarded to Dredging Atlantic in 2006 due to poor execution.
He described activities of oil companies operating in the area as the major cause of the perennial problem.
He added that the community has written series of letters to all the tiers of government but nothing is forth coming.
Kudehinde however appealed to the State Government to as a matter of urgency come to their aid by liaising with the federal government.
His words: “For some days now, the whole community is flooded. Even my own house and many other buildings were taken away by the sea”.
“In fact there was a time a boy was swept away by the sea”.
“Activities of the oil companies are the major cause, for some years now, a lot of meters had been lost into the sea, so it is now very easy for the sea to overpower the community.”
“We are aware that the pilling has been awarded but up till now nothing has been done, we don’t know what has happened to the money voted for it”.
Also, a community leader, Bishop Rainbow Eretan lamented that the latest surge has rendered many homeless and is gradually wiping out the coastal community.
“I can tell you that almost 70% of the communities have been taken away by the ocean and it is very unfortunate for our people”, he said
In his own reaction, Mr. Henry Ojagbohunmi who is the grandson of the first king of the community described the situation as very pathetic and worrisome which has affected their economic activities and their livelihood.