Reps call for urgent completion of the Amassoma Community Shoreline Protection Project

The House of Representatives has called for the prioritization of the completion of the Amassoma Community Shoreline Protection Project in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State.

The House urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to re-mobilize the Contractor to site and engage competent Consultants to supervise the Project.

It also urged the NDDC to ensure that the Project is executed diligently to completion before September 2024 when the next rainy season comes.

The House mandated the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to assess the Amassoma community Shoreline Project to ascertain the extent of work done by the numerous contractors since the Project was first awarded till date.

It also also mandated the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to liaise with the NDDC and investigate the mismanagement and abandonment of a critical intervention project with a view to holding previous companies accountable for public funds waste.

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These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ambaiowei Rodney Ebikebina.

The House noted that between August and November when water levels rise due to the opening of dams in the Republic of Cameroun and heavy rainfall in the country, Southern Ijaw and most parts of the country experienced flooding annually which posed significant challenges in riverine areas.

This flood, it said, submerged communities, displaces others along the Niger and Benue rivers, and creates multiple internally displaced persons camps.

The House also noted that Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State is one the Community that has persistently endured the devastating effects of these floods leading to the 2022 devastating flood which sacked Communities creating huge humanitarian crisis.

The Flood situation, it said, is heightened by climatic changes which has elevated the flood levels, making the situation increasingly unbearable.

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The House said given the devastating consequences of the flood, experts have recommended the construction of a dyke to protect coastline and riverine communities.

It was concerned that several contracts for the construction of Shoreline Protection in Amassoma have been awarded in the past with no useful results.

The House said the first was awarded to Dokkin Ventures Nigeria Limited by the now obsolete Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) and was abandoned.

It said it was again awarded to Bussdor & Company Limited by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2003, only to be abandoned again in 2005 with disputable percentage of completion as physical assessment shows no significant job done.