The Senate has asked the federal government to release funds from the Ecological Fund to Cross River State to address erosion and landslides that have claimed several lives and displaced residents. The upper chamber made the call on Tuesday after adopting a motion sponsored by the senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District, Asuquo Ekpenyong, on the need to address the state’s worsening ecological crisis.
Moving the motion, Mr Ekpenyong said erosion and landslides threaten lives and property in several communities, particularly in Calabar metropolis, including Atakpa, Edim Otop, Ikot Effangha Mkpa, Nyaghasang, Ikot Anwatim, Nasarawa/Bacoco, Akai Effa, Bayside, Summit Hills and Anansa. The senator referenced an incident in July in which a landslide at Ikot Anwatim killed five people, including four siblings from the same family. The incident also destroyed two houses and left two other residents injured.
He also reported another landslide in Edim Otop that killed an eight-year-old girl, warning that more lives could be lost if the underlying causes were not urgently addressed. Mr Ekpenyong identified poorly designed drainage systems, indiscriminate waste disposal, unregulated sand mining, vegetation removal and vandalism of drainage infrastructure as factors worsening erosion in the state.
He urged the Senate to prevail on the federal government to approve, allocate and release adequate funding from the Ecological Fund for emergency stabilisation and comprehensive erosion-control measures, prioritising communities where lives have been lost and residents remain at immediate risk. The senator also called on the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Cross River State Government and relevant agencies, to immediately assess high-risk locations and commence appropriate emergency protection works.
He further urged the Federal Ministries of Environment and Works to prioritise funding for erosion-control projects in the state and ensure that major interventions are supported by proper geotechnical and hydrological assessments, sound