The Senate has issued a high-priority call for federal intervention to address a worsening ecological crisis in Edo Central Senatorial District, warning that massive gully erosion and deforestation are threatening to wipe out entire communities across Esan Land.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Joseph Ikpea (Edo Central), paints a grim picture of a region on the brink of environmental collapse.
Esan Land, which sits on a dissected plateau approximately 390 metres above sea level, is geographically predisposed to disaster. The Senate noted that the terrain naturally channels heavy tropical rainfall into deep gullies, a process that has accelerated into a full-scale emergency.
Key sites identified as “danger zones” include: Ewu Gully (Esan Central, Ukhun-Emaudo Corridor (Esan West and Ambrose Alli University (Ekpoma). Recurring flooding and gully formation in these areas have displaced residents and caused extensive infrastructure damage.
The Senate expressed deep concern over the rapid depletion of the region’s forest reserves. Economic timber species such as Iroko, African Walnut, Obeche, and Mahogany are disappearing due to uncontrolled logging and farming.
“The loss of natural forest cover, which once accounted for more than half of the land area, has left the soil exposed and defenseless against the elements,” the motion observed.
Lawmakers warned that if the destruction of access roads and farmlands continues, the region faces a “triple threat” of widespread displacement, increased rural poverty, and heightened insecurity.
A significant point of contention in the upper chamber was the perceived “visible absence” of federal authorities. Despite years of ecological assessments, the Senate noted that the Ecological Fund Office (EFO), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Federal Ministry of Environment have yet to launch any meaningful intervention.
In a bid to forestall further catastrophe as the rainy season intensifies, the Senate officially resolved to:
- Urge the EFO and the Ministry of Environment to conduct on-the-spot inspections and commence emergency remediation works.
- Call on NEMA to immediately distribute relief materials to displaced families and affected communities.
- Mandate the Committees on Environment, Ecology, and Climate Change to ensure the prompt release of funds for land reclamation and afforestation.
- Direct relevant committees to liaise with the Edo State Government to ensure these sites are prioritized in the next national ecological intervention cycle.
