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Tag: Ocean surge

  • Ocean surge: Lagos community sends SOS to FG, State govt over threat of extinction

    Ocean surge: Lagos community sends SOS to FG, State govt over threat of extinction

    The Okun-Alfa Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State has appealed to the Federal and State Governments to save it from extinction, as a persistent ocean surge continues to threaten its survival.

    Chief Yusuf Elegushi, the Baale of Okun-Alfa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the surge had already claimed over 80 per cent of the community’s land, leaving many residents homeless.

    “This community has been in existence for over 500 years. Our forefathers burial grounds are here we are not illegal immigrants and we have been calling the government attention to the situation as our land is gradually being submerged.

    “But some days ago we received a notice from government that we should evacuate the land which is very strange to us because our ancestral land we have elderlies of very 80 years residing in the community.

    “We are only seeking Federal Government help not evacuation because we don’t know where to go our forefathers were indigene of the community.

    “We only need government help to reclaim our land from surge not evacuation,”the community leader said.

    Mr Adekunle Elegushi, the Chairman Community Development Association (CDA) Okun-Alfa Community also appealed to the federal government to halt the 24 hours autimatum given to residents to vacate the land.

    Elegushi said that former Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State had tried to stop the surge in 2019 but the project was not totally completed.

    “The project stopped. No continuity, that’s why other lands have been washed away by the ocean.

    “All our maternity centre, schools and recreation centres have been submerged majority of houses have been swallowed by the ocean which rendered majority of people homeless.

    “What we need now is the federal and state government intervention not evacuation we are appealing to them to rescue us and help us to resolve our challenges in the community.

    Mrs Sidikatu Liasu-Banuso, the Octogenarians residents of the community also appealed to the federal government to halt demolition plan but rather come to their aide in fixing the surge.

    “We don’t want government to drive us away from here what we want is help to fix the surge and we are appealing there is no where to go now this is my ancestral land and home am over 80 years of age.

    Mr Taofeek Ibraheem, also a resident urged the government to consider the situation and stop the demolition plan as the community would go on extinction.

    Read Also: JCI commissions solar-powered borehole in Lagos community

    We are pleading to the federal government to assist us in fixing our challenges and not to drive us away from our ancestral land,” he said.

    “We appeal to the government to rescue the community before it is too late as many residents live plank homes due to challenges of the surge.

    “Many people staying here live in emergency homes, because all their buildings have been submerged by the surge.

  • Ondo seeks Fed Govt’s help to tackle ocean surge

    The Ondo State government yesterday urged the Federal Government to help it tackle incessant surge from the Atlantic Ocean.

    The occurrence has damaged property in Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area where over 25 buildings, including the only secondary school in the oil producing community, have been submerged.

    Also, over 200 persons have become homeless.

    Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, who represented Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, called for Federal Government’s urgent assistance to tackle the ocean surge after inspecting the damage it caused in the community.

    Ajayi, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde; Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Gbenga Edema, sympathised with the residents, particularly those directly affected by the sea incursion.

    The deputy governor regretted the loss of home and other property to the disaster.

    He urged the Federal Government to increase its protection of the oil producing community.

    Ajayi, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said only modern technology can end the crisis.

    He said: “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives. I led members of the NDDC to this community. I also travelled to The Netherlands to look at the modern technology we felt would solve the problem.”

    “As I am here now, you should know that Ondo State is here: the SSG is here, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area is also here. We are all here.

    “As a matter of fact, the governor would have been here personally but he is away with Mr. President in The Netherland. He directed us to be here today to express our feelings, to assess the level of damage and look for best way to prevent future occurrence.”

    “Certainly, you can see this has gone beyond the Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the world know that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger. The Federal Government should rescue this oil producing community.

    “Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic City. It was able to stop this type of sea incursion and people are able to drive freely; not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.

    “Like what the community said, they are about three kilometres away now. A lot of houses have been eroded; children cannot go to school. So, we are worried, but we are assuring our people that we will not relent in our efforts to stop this disaster.”

  • Ondo seeks Fed Govt’s help to tackle ocean surge

    The Ondo State government yesterday urged the Federal Government to help it tackle incessant surge from the Atlantic Ocean.

    The occurrence has damaged property in Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area where over 25 buildings, including the only secondary school in the oil producing community, have been submerged.

    Also, over 200 persons have become homeless.

    Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, who represented Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, called for Federal Government’s urgent assistance to tackle the ocean surge after inspecting the damage it caused in the community.

    Ajayi, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde; Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Gbenga Edema, sympathised with the residents, particularly those directly affected by the sea incursion.

    The deputy governor regretted the loss of home and other property to the disaster.

    He urged the Federal Government to increase its protection of the oil producing community.

    Ajayi, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said only modern technology can end the crisis.

    He said: “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives. I led members of the NDDC to this community. I also travelled to The Netherlands to look at the modern technology we felt would solve the problem.”

     

     

     

  • Ocean Surge: Ondo cries out, seeks FG’s aid

    …says problem beyond us

     

     

    Ondo State Government Tuesday made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to come to its aid on the incessant surge from Atlantic Ocean.

    The development has caused damage at Ayetoro community in Ilaje local government area of the state as more than 25 buildings including the only secondary school in the oil producing community have been submerged.

    Similarly, over 200 persons are now homeless.

    The Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, who represented the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, made the appeal after inspecting the damage caused by the surge in Ayetoro.

    Read Also:Flood sacks hundreds in Ondo riverine community

    Agboola, accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Gbenga Edema, sympathised with the residents, particularly with those that are directly affected by the sea incursion.

    He lamented the loss of houses and property to the disaster, urging the Federal Government to do more in the protection of the oil producing community.

    The Deputy Governor, a former member of the House of Representatives and chairman House Committee on NDDC said only modern technology could put an end to the crisis.

    He said “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives, I personally led member of the NDDC to this community and I also traveled to Netherlands to look at the modern technology which we felt it would have been able to solve the problem.

    “As I am here now, you should know that Ondo State is here, the SSG is here, Chairman Ilaje local government is here, we are all here.

    “As a matter of fact, the Governor would have been here personally but he is away with Mr. President in Netherland. He directed us to be here today to express our feeling, to assess the level of damage and look for best way to prevent future occurrence.

    “Certainly you can see this has gone beyond Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the whole world knows that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger and the federal government should rescue this oil producing community.

    “Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic city, this was able to stop this sea incursion and people are able to drive freely and not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.

    “Like what the community said, they are about three kilometers away now, a lot of houses have been eroded, children cannot go to school. So we are worried but we are assuring our people that we will not relent on our efforts to stop this disaster”.

  • Lagos to fight ocean surge with N36b

    Lagos to fight ocean surge with N36b

    •Three Islands created on the lagoon

    Lagos State Government has earmarked N36 billion for the construction of 18 groynes (sea breakers) to check of ocean surge between Goshen estate and Alpha Beach in.

    Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adebowale Akinsanya said each of the groynes would be cost N2billion.

    He said the contract was awarded in November 2012 and divided into three phases because of funding.

    Akinsanya explained that phase 1 of the project, which is the construction of three groynes started in January, 2013 and had been completed, adding that phase 2, the construction of 12 groynes was awarded in June 2013. Work began in January 2014.

    He said: “As at the beginning of this administration 4km stretch of the shoreline was protected and in the last 12 months, 6.0km has been successfully protected while work is still on going. Total percentage of work done so far on phase 2 is 80%.  Also the phase 3, which is the construction of three groynes of the project, has been awarded and work has commenced on it.”

    Akinsanya said the government has approved the development of three islands-Diamond, Orange and Gracefield Phoenix-in the state.

    He said the Diamond Island development, which would rival Banana Island involved the reclamation of Ilubirin foreshore by SPA Dredging Company Ltd, adding that the reclamation of phase 1 comprising 48 hectares had been completed. The reclamation of phase 11, he added would soon begin.

    The development Orange Island, he said, is envisioned as a fully serviced community, which is about 450 meters off the Lekki phase I.

    “The reclamation of phase 1, measuring approximately 150 hectares has been completed and a road alignment has also been reclaimed which makes it accessible by driving from Freedom way. The Project, upon completion will not only add to the existing stock of land mass but add to the ground rent and other taxes accruable to the State which will boost internal generated revenue,” he said.

    The commissioner explained that the Gracefield phoenix is a joint venture with the government granting exclusive right to Gravitas Investment Limited to reclaim 100 hectares of land inside the Lagos Lagoon at the northern end of Chevron way and northern offshore of the Ajiran land.

     

     

    “The island is to be known as Gracefield Phoenix Island. So far, about 30 hectares of land have been reclaimed to a height of 1.8 metres above mean sea level. It is now possible to drive from Chevron Drive to the Gracefield Island. They have also reclaimed over 30 hectares presently and achieved a finished height of 1.8 meters,” he added.

     

  • Ocean surge sacks Aiyetoro community

    Ocean surge sacks Aiyetoro community

    Tears flowed yesterday as the Atlantic Ocean sacked the historic Aiyetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The surge affected more than half of the fishing community, flooding streets and houses and forcing residents to flee.

    According to residents, who sent a distress message to The Nation, the ocean began to overflow its banks at 4:30 am and eventually sacked more than 50 houses by midday.

    A resident, Samson Ajijo, said: “The surge began just before dawn. The waves were violent and houses by the banks were the first to go. Many houses in the main town have been submerged and properties destroyed.”

    The fishing community has about 30,000 residents.  Hundreds of them have been rendered homeless.

    The ocean surge has been a recurrent issue in the community for about 15 years, prompting the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to award a N6.5billion shoreline protection contract to Atlantic Dredgers Limited (DAL) in 2006.

    But the company abandoned site, leaving only a handful of workers without proper equipment to handle the shoreline protection.

    “It is frustrating for us, workers of the Atlantic Dredgers tried to run away yesterday after the sea level rose but we prevented them. They have done nothing at all and now they want to abandon us.”

    The spiritual head of the community, Bishop Eremitan Eretan, alleged that the contractor has not been on site.

    “Up till now, we have not set our eyes on the contractor nine years after he started working in our community.”

     

  • Ocean surge threatens Bayelsa community

    A surge from the Atlantic Ocean is threatening to swallow the Koluama communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    It was learnt that the tidal current of the sea rose, overflew its bank and emptied into the Koluama River.

    Already, residents of the communities located along the banks of Koluama River were reportedly exposed to the direct attack of waves and tidal currents from the sea.

    Panic-stricken traditional rulers of the communities on Thursday rushed to Yenagoa, the state capital, to raise the alarm over the threats by the sea to wash away the communities.

    The traditional rulers of Koluama Clan, King S.E. Edi-Mangi; Koluama 1 community, JTC Leghemo and Koluama ll community, N.E. Ogboinbiri-Mienye, took turns to decry the development.

    They traced their woes to the activities of oil companies operating in the area particularly the Koluama-Chevron gas explosion and fire outbreak that occurred in the area in January 16, 2012.

    They complained that the explosion which emanated from the gas drilling rig, K.S. Endevour, owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited caused earth tremors and vibrations in the communities.

    “Several houses suffered in the communities. They suffered cracks in their walls and foundations,” they said.

    The traditional rulers who were accompanied to Yenagoa by youths from the communities recalled that they had earlier warned that if remedial measures were not taken on time, their communities would sink in no time.

    They demanded that the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, the state and federal governments should urgently dispatch a team of environmental experts to the affected areas to assess the situation and take immediate action.

    They further asked the federal government to begin environmental study of the impacted areas.