Members of the House of Representatives, yesterday, called the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately send relief materials to victims of erosion menace and other natural disasters in Bayelsa, Abia, and Rivers states.
They also asked the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ecological Fund Office to mobilise to the areas, conduct surveys and ascertain the degree of damage caused by gully erosion and take immediate remedial actions.
The resolution followed a motion titled “Call for control of Gully Erosion in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State,” sponsored by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha representing the area. Moving the motion, Onyejeocha said the disaster had sacked many communities in the area.
The communities largely affected by the environmental menace include Mgbelu Umunnekwu, Agbor Umunnekwu, Amiyi Uhu, Amibo , Otampa, and Umuokogbue among others Upon the adoption of the motion, an amendment was made to the prayers to include communities in Obiakpor Federal Constituency of Rivers State.
The House later mandated its committees on Environment and Habitat and Appropriations to include funds in the 2019 Budget proposal for erosion control projects in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi and Obiakpor Federal Constituencies of Abia and Rivers State respectively. In a related development, the House also asked relevant authorities to intervene and prevent the imminent danger in Agge Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State posed by ocean surge and erosion.
To this end, it urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, the Ecological Fund Office, EFO, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Federal Ministries of Environment and Power, Works and Housing to immediately dispatch a team of experts to Agge Community to study, evaluate and develop an immediate emergency remediation plan and to maintain a permanent presence in the community until the environmental danger is curtailed or where possible, resettle the people in a new location.
The mandate followed a motion by Frederick Yeitiemone Agbedi from the state.
