Following reports highlighting the worsening impact of shoreline erosion on the Eraskon Lubricants and Chemical Blending Plant in Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta Development and Monitoring Group (NIDDEMOG) has called for urgent intervention to prevent further environmental and economic losses.
A delegation of the group, led by its Executive Director, Chief Nengi James -Eriworio, Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, visited the facility to assess the extent of the damage caused by persistent coastal erosion and its implications for the host community.
Speaking after the inspection, Chief Nengi James described shoreline erosion as one of the most pressing environmental challenges confronting communities across the Niger Delta, warning that the continued degradation of the coastline poses a serious threat to critical infrastructure, investments and livelihoods.
He said the situation at the Eraskon Lubricants and Chemical Blending Plant underscores the need for coordinated action by all levels of government to protect vulnerable communities and strategic economic assets.
Chief Nengi James also commended the House of Representatives for drawing national attention to the environmental emergency through a motion urging the Federal Government to intervene.
He specifically praised the member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Hon. Oboku Oforji, for raising the matter on the floor of the House and bringing the plight of the Eraskon project and the adjoining Gbarain community to the attention of the Federal Government.
According to him, the legislative intervention has provided an opportunity for the authorities to respond before the erosion causes irreversible damage.
The NIDDEMOG Executive Director appealed to the Federal Government, the Bayelsa State Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other relevant agencies to urgently deploy ecological intervention funds to protect the shoreline and safeguard the facility.
According to Chief Nengi James, urgent intervention is critical as the Plant when fully completed and operational will not only creste employment but also improve revenue for the government
He warned that if immediate remedial measures are not taken, the advancing erosion could jeopardise the Eraskon Lubricants and Chemical Blending Plant while worsening the socio-economic conditions of residents whose livelihoods depend largely on the surrounding riverine environment.
Chief Nengi James stressed that timely intervention would not only preserve a key industrial investment but also protect the lives, environment and economic future of the Gbarain community.
It will be recalled that the Executive Director of NIDDEMOG, Chief Nengi James, had carried out extensive advocacy on coastal erosion and oceanification in the Niger Delta over the years and has published a book on Oceanification, highlighting the menace of erosion and environmental disasters in the Niger Delta region
