A’Ibom seeks FG’s intervention over 1, 000 erosion sites
The Akwa Ibom state government has solicited the support of the federal government to check the menace of flood and erosion ravaging communities in the state.
Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ekong Sampson, who made the appeal at the weekend, disclosed that the state has over 1, 000 erosion sites in different parts of the state.
He stated this during a tour of Utaewa, a fishing community in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state, which was recently overrun by erosion and flood.
Addressing the residents of Utaewa over their predicament, the commissioner regretted that states in the Niger Delta region have suffered the ravages of erosion and flood in recent times.
“Our environment is threatened. We have seen for ourselves, but principally, Akwa Ibom state is under pressure from the ravages of erosion and flood. As we speak, we have over a 1, 000 flood and erosion sites in this state. So that puts us under intense pressure,” he added.
Sampson maintained that the federal government’s intervention is necessary as it is now obvious that the state does not have the resources to singularly, tackle the flood and erosion problem.
He commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for demonstrating a lot of commitment in tackling flooding in the state.
However, he sued for partnership from national and international institutions to complement the state government’s efforts toward solving the problem.
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The commissioner also lauded the World Bank for partnering with the state government on the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), which he said will soon salvage some major flood-related disaster areas within Uyo, such as the IBB Way and Anua-Udo Umana.
”This clearly shows how the government of Udom Emmanuel is committed to addressing problems about our environment, but beyond what the state government is doing, other principal agencies and the federal government should also see Akwa Ibom state as a serious erosion and flood issue to intervene.
”I believe if the federal government and other agencies intervene too in Utaewa, we would have seen a different landscape and the story would have been different,” Sampson said.
