Senate Calls on FG to Find Foreign Funds for Coastal Protection

The Senate on Thursday called on the federal government to look for budget options and international funding to protect coastal areas facing ocean surges and rising sea levels in Nigeria.

The Senate also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and relevant state authorities to provide quick help, like safe water, healthcare services, and temporary shelters, to people whose homes and businesses have been damaged by ocean surges.

Lawmakers made these resolutions during a plenary session while discussing a motion about the urgent need for shoreline protection to save the Ayetoro community in Ondo State from sea encroachment.

Francis Faduyile (APC, Ondo South) sponsored the motion. He noted that about 80 percent of homes and infrastructure in Ayetoro community, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, had been lost to rising sea levels.

Faduyile stressed that the destruction in these communities needed immediate action from federal and state governments, as well as relevant development commissions and international partners.

He urged the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to work with the Ondo State Government to set up a well-funded shoreline protection program for Ayetoro.

Faduyile also asked Senate Committees on Environment, NDDC, and Special Duties to connect with relevant ministries and agencies. They should monitor the implementation of the proposed actions and report back to the Senate within four weeks.

Most senators who spoke during the debate backed the motion and its suggested actions. Ekong Sampson (APC, Akwa Ibom South) mentioned that communities in his district were also facing the threat of sea encroachment.

Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central) said the Ondo State Government did not have the funds needed to tackle the issue. He urged the Senate to seek federal help to protect affected communities.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio commented that the legislature would take the threat of sea encroachment seriously. He pointed out that some state governments did not have enough resources to deal with the problem.

Akpabio promised to investigate the situation in Ayetoro and other impacted communities across the country. Ayetoro, located in Nigeria’s Southwest, has struggled with ocean surges and coastal erosion for many years. The Atlantic Ocean has been taking away homes, public buildings, and parts of the land.

The crisis has forced residents to leave, disrupted businesses, and destroyed vital services like schools and power supply. Many residents rely on fishing and other coastal jobs, and the loss of homes, fishing gear, and access to land threatens their livelihoods and food security.

In August 2024, NEMA assessed affected riverine communities in Ilaje. They reported that ocean surges had flooded 1,820 buildings, forced 2,470 households to leave their homes, and impacted 14,820 people. The agency stated that the damage had also ruined schools and the community’s power system, leaving residents without electricity.

Attempts to shield Ayetoro from the sea have faced difficulties. The NDDC awarded a contract for shoreline protection in 2004, but the first contractor did not perform well, leading to the contract's termination. It was re-awarded in 2009, but the protection work is still not finished.

Not having proper shoreline protection has left residents vulnerable to ongoing destruction and displacement. This crisis highlights the need for long-term solutions, like effective shoreline protection, land reclamation, and sustainable funding.