Bakassi Local Government Area in Cross River State faces imminent devastation from severe gully erosion unless urgent intervention measures are implemented, according to the council chairman.

Chairman Effiong Etim Okon disclosed this while giving an account of his five months in office during the weekend, describing gully erosion as "one of the major headaches" his administration is currently grappling with.

"Beyond the challenge of infrastructure, one of the factors that impede progress is gully erosion," Okon told journalists, lamenting that the environmental crisis has already cut off access to many parts of the local government area.

The chairman identified several severely affected areas, including "back of the local government headquarters in Ikot Effiom, its adjoining housing estate up to the Obutong section of the housing estate, cutting access between the two developing areas."

According to Okon, the erosion has created gullies estimated at 10-13 meters in depth and approximately 450 meters in length, posing significant threats to communities and infrastructure in the area.

The chairman has appealed to the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) and other development partners to come to the aid of the local government.

"We appeal to NEWMAP and other development partners to come in aid of the local government, considering our desire to take governance to the doorsteps of the people," he stated.

Bakassi, which has faced numerous challenges since its cession to Cameroon following the International Court of Justice ruling, continues to struggle with basic infrastructure and environmental issues that threaten the livelihood of its residents.

Environmental experts have previously warned that coastal communities in Nigeria are increasingly vulnerable to erosion due to climate change and inadequate environmental protection measures.