— Seeks shoreline protection, emergency aid for displaced residents
— Orders review of protection contracts, sets four-week reporting deadline
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — The Senate has urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene to save Aiyetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State from further destruction caused by Atlantic Ocean surges and coastal erosion.
The upper chamber warned that continued sea incursion threatened lives, livelihoods, public infrastructure and the cultural heritage of the historic coastal settlement.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion titled “Urgent Need for Immediate and Comprehensive Shoreline Protection to Save Aiyetoro Community in Ondo State from Sea Incursion,” sponsored by Senator Dayo Faduyile (APC, Ondo South).
The Senate called on the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other relevant agencies, to work with the Ondo State Government and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to implement a comprehensive and adequately funded shoreline protection programme.
It also urged the government to explore appropriate budgetary provisions and international climate adaptation financing to support sustainable coastal protection, land reclamation where technically feasible, and the restoration of essential community infrastructure.
The lawmakers called for a transparent review of previous and ongoing shoreline protection contracts in Aiyetoro, including their funding, implementation status, outstanding obligations and completion timelines, to address reported delays and ensure that projects achieve their intended objectives.
The Senate further urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and relevant state authorities to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, including safe water, healthcare services and temporary shelter for residents whose homes and livelihoods were threatened by the sea incursion.
To ensure implementation, the chamber mandated its committees on Environment, Niger Delta Development Commission and Special Duties to liaise with relevant ministries, agencies and stakeholders, monitor progress and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The Committee on Legislative Compliance was also directed to monitor adherence to the resolutions and report to the Senate.
Presenting the motion, Faduyile said Aiyetoro, a historic coastal community, had suffered progressive destruction of homes, livelihoods, cultural heritage and public infrastructure due to Atlantic Ocean surges and coastal erosion.
He cited reports indicating that approximately 80 per cent of buildings in the community had been lost to sea incursion, with devastating effects on residents, schools, healthcare facilities, places of worship and traditional institutions.
The senator said the destruction had displaced families, disrupted fishing and other economic activities, and threatened residents’ access to safe water and healthcare.
He also expressed concern over reported implementation challenges affecting previous shoreline protection interventions, including delays in earlier NDDC contracts.
Faduyile said the reported difficulties underscored the need to verify project status, expenditure and outstanding obligations to ensure accountability and effective delivery.
He added that the scale of the crisis exceeded the capacity of affected residents and required coordinated intervention by the Federal Government, the Ondo State Government, relevant development commissions and international development partners.
The senator further noted that OSOPADEC had publicly indicated that substantial financial resources were needed to address the coastal crisis.
He stressed the importance of adequate funding, sound engineering, environmental assessment and sustainable shoreline protection measures.
Faduyile warned that further delays could lead to additional losses of lives, property, livelihoods and cultural heritage, worsening the conditions of vulnerable residents, particularly children, women and elderly people.
He said immediate government intervention, transparent project implementation and effective legislative oversight were necessary to protect Aiyetoro and other vulnerable coastal communities in Ondo State.
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