Edith CHUKU
The immediate intervention of the Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri and the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, is needed by natives and residents of Odi Community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.
The people issued a distress call to Diri and NDDC over worsening landslides and coastal erosion threatening their ancestral homes.
They lamented that any delay in addressing the issue which they described as life threatening would lead to wiping out of large portions of the area.
The residents revealed that recent incidents destroyed houses and damaged major access roads, leaving several families displaced.
According to them, “our community risks being completely lost if immediate intervention is not made. Recent incidents destroyed homes and roads leaving many displaced.”
One of the residents who gave his name simply as Appah described the situation as increasingly worrisome. He said “one day the people will wake up to see their village vanish.
“We are calling on the Bayelsa State Government, led by governor Douye Diri, and the federal government to come to our rescue urgently to halt the environmental challenges, which have been exacerbated by heavy rains, riverbank instability, and perennial coastal threats.
“Odi People need help, please come and help us.”
Previously, the Bayelsa State government had responded to similar incidents in Odi, including on-the-spot assessments of landslide damage in areas like Isonbiri Compound.
However, locals insist that more comprehensive, sustained action, including erosion control projects and federal support through agencies like the NDDC, is critical to prevent further loss.
