BREAKING: Gbekebor Indigenes Cries Out To Government Over Fear Of Extinction
...As retreating flood destroys seawall, houses, properties, others
…Wants FG, Governor Okowa, NDDC, DESOPADEC, other agencies to come to their aid
By Binebai Princewill
The people of ancient Gbekebor Community in Ogbolubiri Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have cried out to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Delta State Government to urgently look into the pathetic plight of the community.
The community leadership expressed fear of Gbekebor going into extinction if nothing is done to forestall the ugly situation by the Government and its agencies.
In hinting The Liberator Newspapers over recent happenings in the community, the trio of Blessing Etuele, Gbekebor Federated Community Chairman, Mr. Boro Ekerekun, Chairman Gbekebor Warri-urban and Mr. Tonfa Cyprian; Secretary Gbekebor Warri-Urban, they maintained that the retreating flood in Gbekebor on 20th of December 2020 had destroyed the makeshift wooden seawall, concrete seawall, residential houses, properties and other valuables in the community, subjecting indigenes of the community to unprecedented hardship and sufferings.
The statement signed by the trio of Blessing Etuele; Gbekebor Federated Community Chairman, Mr. Boro Ekerekun; Chairman Gbekebor Warri-urban and Mr. Tonfa Cyprian; Secretary Gbekebor Warri-Urban reads in full below:
“RETREATING FLOOD WREAKED HAVOC ON GBEKEBOR COMMUNITY; Gbekebor community is being faced with a serious life threatening environmental problems for over very many decades which had been aired severally through the electronics and print media by way of appealing to the Nigerian Government to come to our aid but remained unattended.
“Sequel to the negligence on the part of Government, the community embarked on self-help project; constructed a temporary wooden seawall that was pre-emptive to the destructive direct water current flowing from the River Niger to the community but unfortunately on the 20th of December 2020, the recently retreating flood damaged the wooden seawall, caused over 100-metres length of the remaining part of the concrete seawall constructed by the defunct OMPADEC to collapse and sank alongside with residential houses and shops which now culminated in subjecting the directly affected persons and the community to untold hardship, rendered the persons homeless and jobless, all residents of the community are shaking with fright, indeed it is extremely pathetic.
“Consequently, the entire Gbekebor federated community and those living in diaspora are passionately appealing to Federal, State and Local Governments, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ecological Intervention Fund Office Abuja, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Delta State Gov.; Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and other related agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations to come to our succour.
“The helpless community is indeed pleading with the Nigerian Government to construct an urgent shoreline protection revetment and reclamation of the eroded land to protect lives and properties.
“This appeal is made on behalf of the community by Mr Blessing Etuele; Gbekebor Federated Community Chairman, Mr. Boro Ekerekun; Chairman Gbekebor Warri-urban and Mr. Tonfa Cyprian; Secretary Gbekebor Warri-Urban. Thanks and God bless”.
