Delta community laments failed water project

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Residents of Onicha-Ugbo community in Delta State have urged the state government to rehabilitate a 10-year-old moribund overhead reservoir to pave the way for water supply.

The residents, who condemned in strong terms the obsolete water reservoir project carried out under the state Ministry of Water Resources, alleged that the project had been used by successive governments to divert funds into private pockets.

A representative of the residents, Mr. Henry Akaweh, said, “It is now precisely 10 years that this government-owned reservoir for water has been moribund.

There is no pipe borne water supply in this community, except privately-owned boreholes.

“Successive governments have been using the moribund overhead water reservoir as a conduit to divert funds into private pockets. Each time we see workers from the state Ministry of Water Resources working, we usually think there will soon be water.”

But the state government last Tuesday said there would be proper implementation of water policies and laws in addition to the right revenue drive in order to compete with other sources of internally generated revenue.

The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Fidelis Tilije, told Southern City News the problem was not poor funding but the inability to think outside the box.

He said that with proper re-engineering of the revenue drive process through commercialization, the water sector could compete favourably with the oil sector in providing more income for government.

Tilije said, “The state government is committed to the provision of an enabling environment and the improvement of manpower technical skills which will help them in the discharge of their duties optimally. In this case, all moribund overhead water reservoirs will be reactivated, not only in Onicha-Ugbo, but in other communities across the state.”

Investigation revealed that residents without boreholes had been facing hardship in trying to get water.

In attempting to get water, it was learnt that residents are subjected to payment of between N50 and N100 for 20 litre of water.

A source said, “During the dry seasons, those who cannot afford exorbitant payments for water in privately owned boreholes will have to trek long distances to streams for water.

“Onicha-Ugbo is one of the several communities in Delta State. Apart from the lack of pipe-borne water, the residents suffer epileptic power supply and residents are blaming the state governments of being insensitive in the provision of basic infrastructure.”

Source: Punch