By Emmanuella Opara | October 13th, 2026
KEY POINTS
- -The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently release funds from the Ecological Fund to tackle gully erosion and landslides in Cross River South Senatorial District.
- -Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong said the disasters had caused deaths, displaced residents and destroyed homes in several communities.
- -A landslide at Ikot Anwatim in July 2026 reportedly killed five people, including four siblings, while another incident at Edim Otop claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl.
- -The Senate called for emergency assistance, including temporary shelter, food, medical care and support for displaced families.
- -Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Senate Committee on Environment to assess affected communities and existing interventions.
MAIN STORY
The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently release funds from the Ecological Fund to address gully erosion and landslides threatening lives and property in Cross River South Senatorial District.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents Cross River South, during plenary on Tuesday, October 13.
Ekpenyong raised concerns over recurring ecological emergencies in Calabar metropolis and neighbouring communities, saying the disasters had claimed lives, destroyed homes and displaced residents.
He identified Atakpa, Edim Otop, Ikot Effangha Mkpa, Nyaghasang, Ikot Anwatim, Nasarawa/Bacoco, Akai Effa, Bayside and Summit Hills among the communities affected by erosion. He also said landslides continued to threaten residents in Anansa.
The senator recalled a landslide at Ikot Anwatim in July 2026 that killed five people, including four siblings from the same family, destroyed two houses and injured two other residents.
He also cited a separate landslide at Edim Otop that claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl, describing the incidents as evidence of the urgent need for coordinated intervention to prevent further loss of lives.
According to Ekpenyong, affected families have suffered bereavement, displacement and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods, while unstable slopes continue to expose other communities to danger.
He identified poorly designed drainage systems, rapid urbanisation, blocked drains, indiscriminate waste disposal, unregulated sand mining, vegetation removal and unsuitable land-use practices as factors contributing to the erosion problem.
The senator warned that isolated remedial projects could worsen the situation in neighbouring communities if they were not supported by coordinated watershed planning and comprehensive engineering solutions.
He called for the immediate mobilisation of federal resources, including the Ecological Fund, to support emergency measures and long-term erosion control.
“Further delay risks additional deaths, deeper displacement and greater destruction, and this emergency demands the immediate mobilisation of federal resources, including the Ecological Fund,” Ekpenyong said.
He added that families affected by the disasters needed temporary shelter, food, medical assistance and psychosocial support. Residents facing immediate danger, he said, should receive help with safe evacuation and temporary relocation.
Ekpenyong also stressed that major erosion-control projects should be based on geotechnical and hydrological assessments, properly engineered discharge points, qualified design and supervision, and appropriate environmental and social safeguards.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Ekong Sampson, who represents Akwa Ibom South, sympathised with residents of Cross River South over the impact of gully erosion and landslides.
He called for urgent action to protect lives, property and vulnerable communities.
Following the debate, the Senate urged the Federal Government to approve, allocate and release adequate funding for emergency stabilisation and comprehensive erosion remediation in the affected areas.
It also called on the Federal Ministry of Environment to work with the Cross River State Government and relevant agencies to assess dangerous locations and begin appropriate emergency protective works.
The Senate further urged the National Emergency Management Agency, the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency and affected local councils to provide immediate assistance to bereaved and displaced families.
It called for the introduction of effective early-warning systems and continuous monitoring of unstable sites to alert residents and facilitate timely evacuation when conditions threaten their safety.
The Federal Ministries of Environment and Works were also urged to prioritise funding for erosion-control projects in Cross River and ensure that interventions were supported by comprehensive technical assessments.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently directed the Senate Committee on Environment to visit affected locations, examine existing interventions, engage relevant agencies on funding and implementation, and submit recommendations for further legislative action.
THE ISSUES
The Senate’s intervention centres on the need for immediate funding and coordinated action to address erosion and landslides threatening communities in Cross River South.
The reported deaths, destruction of homes and displacement of residents illustrate the human consequences of the ecological emergency. The incidents at Ikot Anwatim and Edim Otop were specifically cited during the debate as reasons for urgent intervention.
The motion also highlights the importance of combining emergency relief with long-term environmental management. While evacuation, temporary accommodation and medical assistance can address immediate needs, sustainable erosion control requires technical assessments and properly designed engineering works.
Ekpenyong’s warning about isolated remedial projects points to the risk of interventions that fail to consider the wider drainage and watershed systems. Measures undertaken in one location could transfer erosion risks to neighbouring communities if water discharge and land conditions are not properly assessed.
The proposed use of the Ecological Fund is therefore intended to support both immediate stabilisation measures and comprehensive remediation. The Senate’s resolution calls for the release of adequate resources, although the motion itself does not establish that the funds have been approved or disbursed.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
Ekpenyong warned: “Further delay risks additional deaths, deeper displacement and greater destruction, and this emergency demands the immediate mobilisation of federal resources, including the Ecological Fund.”
He also said: “Affected families require temporary shelter, food, medical and psychosocial support, while residents facing imminent danger must receive assistance with safe evacuation and temporary relocation.”
On the technical requirements for erosion-control projects, he said: “Major works must be supported by geotechnical and hydrological assessments, properly engineered discharge points, qualified design and supervision, and applicable environmental and social safeguards.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The Senate Committee on Environment is expected to assess the affected communities and review existing interventions following Akpabio’s directive.
The committee is also expected to engage relevant government agencies on funding and implementation and submit recommendations to the Senate for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, the Senate has called on the Federal Government to release adequate resources for emergency stabilisation and comprehensive erosion-control projects.
The Federal Ministry of Environment, the Cross River State Government, NEMA, the state emergency management agency and affected local councils have also been urged to take action within their respective responsibilities, including assessing dangerous sites, providing relief and establishing early-warning and monitoring systems.
The timing of any fund release and the commencement of the proposed interventions have not been specified.
BOTTOM LINE
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to release Ecological Fund resources to tackle gully erosion and landslides threatening communities in Cross River South. The resolution calls for emergency relief, technical assessments, long-term erosion-control projects and closer monitoring of dangerous sites, following reports of deaths, destroyed homes and displacement.
