AKUGBENE COASTAL EROSION: INDIGENES RENEW CALL ON GOVERNMENT, NDDC FOR URGENT INTERVENTION

The persistent menace of coastal erosion at Akugbene community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State has escalated, prompting renewed calls from residents for urgent intervention from both the federal and state governments, as well as the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
The alarming rate of erosion has threatened the very existence of the Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, leaving parts of the community submerged and key infrastructure destroyed.

The Akugbene waterfront has long been plagued by erosion, with several interventions attempted by the NDDC to halt its progress.
However, the situation remains critical.
Two weeks ago, a breach in the embankment led to significant land loss, and just last Thursday, the community witnessed the sudden collapse of a giant concrete landing jetty and several houses, which disappeared into the river within moments.

Speaking on the incident, Mrs. Keme-awerigha Ernest, Chairlady of Akpanaka-ebodo Quarters, recounted the devastation.
Mrs. Ernest called on the government and the NDDC to intervene urgently, noting that the ground beneath their feet is unstable, with visible cracks indicating more potential collapses.

Tracing the history of the erosion, High Chief John T. Singabele, the Azuma of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, revealed that the first major incident occurred in 1959.
He attributed the persistent erosion to an underground water current flowing beneath the community’s coastline.
High Chief Singabele proposed dredging the sandbank across the river as the only viable solution to redirect the river’s current and prevent further erosion.

Comrade Edougha Eyenanabor Cletus, the Chairman of Akugbene Community, advocated for the construction of a channel on the opposite side of the community. According to him, redirecting the River Forcados’ current into Akólóba brook, which drains into the outskirts of the community, would alleviate the pressure on the waterfront.

In response to the growing threat, Hon. Nicholas Ebomo Mutu, the lawmaker representing Patani/Bomadi Constituency in the House of Representatives, has mobilized heavy-duty dredgers to the Akugbene waterfront.
Hon. Mutu, an indigene of the community, revealed that the equipment would arrive this week and dredging operations would commence immediately.
He also hinted at plans for a canalization project, noting that the community would meet soon to determine the best way forward.