Odi Residents Count Losses As Coastal Erosion Hit Bayelsa Community

Residents of Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa state are counting their losses after a coastal erosion hit the community, with a building collapsing into the river alongside businesses with no fatality recorded.

In an inspection visit by the state’s commissioner for information, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and her counterparts in the ministries of works and environment, while sympathizing with the people, called on the federal government and private bodies to partner with the state to check the environmental disaster.

The issue of coastal erosion has become a nightmare to residents of most communities in Bayelsa state.

The people of Odi community are now counting their losses after the natural disaster hit part of the community on Sunday, April 6th, 2025.

In swift response, a team from the state government, led by the commissioner for information, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai paid an inspection visit to the scene of the incident to ascertain the level of damage and also sympathise with the victims

Shoreline protection work is already being carried out by the state government to keep the waters at bay. The information commissioner is worried that the state government alone cannot afford such capital intensive project at Odi and remedy other communities facing similar danger.

Similarly, the team also visited Obogoro and Tombia communities in Yenagoa council area which were being ravaged by the environmental disaster.

(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)