EBONYI STATE GOVERNMENT URGED TO ADDRESS WATER CHALLENGES FACING RESIDENTS

waterResidents of Abakaliki,the Ebonyi State capital have called on the state government to speed up its water rehabilitation projects in the area to address the challenges brought about by the development.

They made the call while speaking with our correspondent on the water situation within the capital city of Abakaliki and its environs.

Successive administrations in Ebonyi State prioritized the provision of portable water to residents of the area.

For instance, the Forty Five Thousand Cubic Meter Water Plant in Ezilo, One Hundred Million Litres installed capacity of Oferekpe Water Scheme and Three point Nine Eight billion Naira Ukawu Water Scheme are evidences of government’s efforts in that regard.

However, a resident of Convent Road, Abakaliki, Mrs Vivian Iroegbu said in spite of the infrastructure put in place by the government, those living in the area still depend on boreholes to get their water needs.

“We feel so bad because we suppose to have tap water at least once in a week but we can’t.”

Two residents of GoddyOgbaga Avenue, MrOnyedikachi Sunday and Miss LorretaMba explained that absence of pipe borne water in their area had subjected them to untold hardship as they spend huge amount of money on daily basis to buy borehole water.

“When there is no light, there is no water because these boreholes are powered by public electricity supply” 

 “I know how much I spend on buying sachet water at the end of the day it would not still go anywhere, and you know that as we are having borehole which is the only alternative, I can’t cook with it , I can’t drink it.“

To address the water problem, Governor David Umahi’s administration last year embarked on the rehabilitation of Ezilo Water Plants, Sacamori Pipeline Network facilities and Abakaliki Water Distribution Networks worth Two point One Billion Naira.

“The third one is to address the water challenges in Ohaozara, already we have a water treatment plant there so what we want to do is to build a water storage tank in Aguugwu and another one in Ugwulangwu.

Part of the outcome of the project is that water now rushes two times in a week in few residential areas in Abakaliki including New Layout, Water works road and Udemezue.

However, a resident of New Layout, MrAmarachi John described the water being supplied as not useful to the residents in view of its dirty nature.

“We could only fetch the one to use in flushing toilet because the water was not clean it was brownish and it smells too”

Efforts to get reaction of the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mrs. EuphemiaNwali was not successful but Radio Nigeria gathered that Abakaliki water plant which supplies water to residents is undergoing maintenance while broken pipes in some parts of the city are being replaced.

AMAECHI ODO

 

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