Environmentalist Urges Action, Law to Clear Illegal Buildings Blocking Waterways

An environmental advocate, Comrade Alagoa Morris, has called for proper funding and enabling laws to empower the Bayelsa State Flood and Erosion Control Directorate to demolish illegal structures blocking natural waterways and worsening the impact of flooding.

Morris, the Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), said such action was necessary to effectively tackle flood disasters that have continued to devastate communities across the state.

He said, “With proper funding and available resources, we are hopeful that the governor, who is environmentally conscious and friendly, will release funds to the Flood and Erosion Directorate to deliver quality service to Bayelsa State.

“If there is an enabling law, they know there are structures, buildings that need to be brought down because they consciously knew they were building on a natural water course.
It would be fantastic for this state if we had an enabling law for the Bayelsa State Directorate for Flood and Erosion Control.”

Morris criticised the Federal Government for limiting its flood response to forecasts and warnings without providing adequate relief or long-term solutions. According to him, yearly predictions have not translated into real action on the ground, leaving vulnerable communities to their fate.

“Every year, we hear forecasts from NIMET and the Hydrological Service Agency. What has the Federal Government done apart from giving forecasts? Even last year, communities like Biseni, Adagbabiri, Sampou and parts of the governor’s community were submerged. Where were the relief materials? Where was the real support?” he asked.

He blamed population growth and poor planning for worsening the flood problem. “Before Bayelsa was created, people in Epie and Attissa knew where to build their houses, avoiding the lowlands. But population explosion has forced people into flood plains, making things worse,” he noted.

Morris, however, commended Governor Douye Diri’s administration for setting up the Flood and Erosion Control Directorate, describing it as the first practical step towards addressing the challenge. He noted that the agency had already cleared canals and prepared high grounds in vulnerable areas such as Biseni.

“This is the kind of environmental surgery we have been advocating. The Directorate is opening up natural canals and replacing old culverts with bigger ones to improve water flow. This is the first time flood control is getting this level of attention in Bayelsa,” he said.

The activist also commended the ongoing flood prevention works, including shoreline walls in Odi and Sampou communities, while urging collaboration with federal agencies and interventionist bodies for greater results.

He called for sustainable solutions such as dredging rivers, sand-filling flood-prone areas, and securing higher community grounds to prevent recurring humanitarian problems.