By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

THE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged the Federal Government to replicate the shoreline protection/land reclamation work carried out at Emadike, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in other coastal communities suffering from perennial flooding and erosion in the state.

Mr. Alagoa Morris, Programme Manager/Head, ERA’s Niger Delta Resource Centre, Bayelsa made the appeal yesterday at Emadike where the Federal Government through the Ecological Office had just completed a shoreline/land reclamation work.

He applauded the government for the gesture noting that many communities in the state deserved similar attention to save them from perennial flooding and erosion menace.

His words, “in our tradition of ensuring that we have evidence in our advocacy and from what we have heard from community folks here in Emadike and what we have seen is a clear testament that embarking on shoreline protection is quite beneficial to our communities suffering from flooding and coastal erosion.

“The only challenge they (Emadike) now face is that when the rains fall the water in the community becomes a problem, may be environmental impact assessment (EIA) was not done. If it were done this wouldn’t be happening.

“So, we want to call on the Federal Government and the Ecological Fund Office to complete the project by ensuring that rain water does not remain within the community to pose another threat to the people.

“But as far as flooding is concerned, this community will be safe. We want to recommend similar project for Odioma, Brass, Sangana, Anibeze, Koluama, Peremabiri, Famgbe, Obogoro and other communities suffering from coastal erosion.”

Some of the community leaders, who spoke including Chief Adolphus Azibaranye, Head of Ofuruma House; Jeremiah Johnson, CDC chairman and Comrade Enoch Fred, a former Youth President, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the gesture saying the intervention has addressed two significant areas of protecting the community coastal borders and also preventing flooding.

They recalled that when the whole of Bayelsa was submerged by flood in 2022, Emadike stood out and served as refuge camp for about 18 affected communities in the area.

They however noted with concern that water from rainfall is presently affecting them and pleaded with the government to put in place measures to help evacuate rain water from the community.