The Itsekiri Environmental Protection Initiative (IEPI) has called on the Delta State and Federal Governments to prioritize the protection of Itsekiri communities affected by recurring ocean surges in the 2025 national budget.
A statement issued November 13, by its National Coordinator, Ojumude Bishop, disclosed that an on-site impact assessment was conducted in Ode-Ugborodo.community in Warri South-West Local Government Area, highlighting the ongoing threat of ocean surge on Itsekiri communities, including Ogheye, Orere, Ugborodo, and nearby areas.
The group while recalling previous visits by state and federal representatives to communities experiencing ocean surges, however, expressed dismay over unfulfilled government promises to address the problem.
The ocean surge threat is threatening several local government areas and the problem has worsened in recent times, despite earlier relief efforts by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and its joint venture partners.
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The group urged the implementation of immediate, sustainable solutions to protect the livelihoods of local communities, which are vital to Nigeria’s oil economy, contributing up to 40 percent of the nation’s crude oil production.
IEPI further called for urgent measures in the 2025 budget, including the construction of shore protection walls, the rehabilitation and resettlement of affected residents, and the provision of relief materials.
The group also announced that a professional impact assessment committee headed by an environmental expert, Egere Weyinmi, is underway to examine the causes and impacts of the ocean surge.
