Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has said coastal communities in the state are in danger of being submerged by the Atlantic Ocean. Diri raised the alarm on Tuesday, when he visited Odioama community in Brass Council to assess the level of devastation from ocean encroachment.

His Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, in a statement, said the governor, while addressing the Odioama chiefs, elders, youths and women at the community town hall, lamented the effects of coastal erosion on communities along the banks of the Atlantic Ocean.

The governor said he decided to visit the community after sending a team to have first-hand knowledge of the people’s plight. Diri, who was accompanied on the visit by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere; Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, commissioners and other government officials, assured that the state government would embark on a 1.5km shore protection project to check the ocean surge that had submerged about 250 buildings in the last 10 years.

Diri said the state government would commence the shoreline project, while awaiting the Federal Government’s collaboration, noting, however, that it is beyond its scope to address such challenges in Odioama, Koluama, Sangana, Agge and other communities facing similar threats.

While calling for intervention and support of the Federal Government on the shore protection project, he 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.