•10 years after, Abakaliki residents get public water amid leakage threat
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
The problem of potable water in Ebonyi State ought to have been a thing of the past. Sadly, that is not the case.
For about 10 years, the people have not enjoyed public water. The last time they enjoyed public water was during the first tenure of former governor Martin Elechi when pipeborne water ran in the state, especially in the metropolis.
It started having issues during the second term of the Elechi-led administration and, after a while, stopped functioning.
That administration embarked on a mega water scheme, which gulped over N30 billion, at Oferekpe in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state, near Cross River State.
That state government also embarked on another water scheme at Ukawu in Onicha Local Government, built a pipe factory located in Ezzamgbo, Ohaukwu LG for production of pipe for water reticulation across the state.
The factory was functional while water reticulation was going on when that administration came to an end. The administration also made effort to rehabilitate the Ezillo Water Scheme that plays major role in supplying water to the residents of Ishielu LG where it is located and Abakaliki metropolis.
But the communal war between the people of Ezillo/Ezza Ezillo, frustrated the government’s effort as warlords kept on vandalizing the water scheme. By the time the war ended, unscrupulous elements had looted the equipment and the place became a shadow of itself.
It was expected Elechi’s successor, David Umahi, now Minister of Works would complete the water project, but his administration did not do much in the sector.
Instead, the sector suffered a serious setback under Umahi’s eight-year tenure. The multi-billion-naira Oferekpe Water Scheme, which was completed by the Elechi-led administration and handed over by the contractor, Gilmor, became non-functional as vandals destroyed it and looted many materials.
Also, the Ezzamgbo pipe factory, which produced pipes for water reticulation, was vandalised; criminals carted away all the vital materials used in constructing the factory, leaving only the structure. Two security personnel of the defunct Ebubeagu Security Network who guarded the factory were killed by gunmen.
These issues compounded water problem in the state while people resorted to boreholes, streams and other sources of water to satisfy their water needs. There was general water scarcity across the state.
This gave rise to water borne diseases in many communities. For instance, 17 persons were killed by suspected cholera outbreak in December 2022, in Ezillo, the community that hosts a major water scheme in the state, while 14 others lost their lives to the disease in Akpoha, Afikpo Local Government, same month.
There were also reported cases of the disease in Ohaukwu, Izzi, Ebonyi and Abakaliki LGs with lives also lost.
However, when Chief Francis Nwifuru assumed office as the governor last year, he rehabilitated the Ezillo Water Scheme; the Ezzamgbo pipe factory and the Juju Hill Water Scheme along Water Works Road in the metropolis. The government is also rehabilitating the Oferekpe Water Scheme.
Based on these, the taps came alive again. Potable water returned to homes in Abakaliki metropolis. But the situation is being threatened by water pipe leakages.
It was not a palatable Yuletide for families as scarcity of water almost marred the celebrations. Daily Sun moved around the metropolis on Monday and saw many people majorly children on the streets moving with wheel barrows and empty jerry cans in search of water. Some people were seen fetching water from handpump boreholes.
At Udensi staff quarters, children of policemen and women were seen fetching water from a hand pump borehole in the area.
They told Daily Sun that the only borehole within the police barracks in the police headquarters, Abakaliki, damaged five years ago and has not been repaired, forcing them to be coming to Udensi staff quarters to fetch water from the borehole in the quarter: “We are children of policemen and women, we are fetching water here from a handpump borehole in Udensi staff quarters because the one in the police barracks where we live got spoiled five years ago.”
Our correspondent also went to Udemezue Street and discovered that water was not running from taps in the area.
One of the residents, Uzoma Okorie, said: “For three months, water used to run in our compound but it is no more running maybe because of pipe leakages. T7here was a time some government people came to our street and inspected water supply in our area. Those officials were complaining about water leakages which I think may be the reason water has not been running for over month now.”
Commissioner for Water Resources, Nkah Chinedu, who recently inspected the level of water supply in the capital city alonside his Information counterpart, Jude Okpor, said the challenge posed by leakages would be tackled to ensure adequate water supply in the metropolis: “We have established the fact that water is running. The major challenge we have is that the leakages are so enormous, too many in number.
“Secondly, the people need to understand that the water is running and come to the Ministry of Water Resources for them to be connected to houses not connected.
“A lot structures are old including our own piping system and the various water pipes in their homes are old. Their taps are also bad and they need to also fix their taps and get their house connected before they can get access to water and in doing this, they have to come to the office.
“But we are tackling the leakages. In fact, I have directed that our men should move in. So, we will continue to tackle these leakages and we will gradually get there.”
Okpor disclosed that the state executive council directed that water must be pumped everyday from 6:00am to 10:00am, assuring that identified spots of leakages will be fixed by the ministry: “What I have observed is that despite these leakages, if we don’t get water into the rooms and compounds of residents of this state, it will be seen as if the effort of the government is a mirage. That is why we are out in the field to sensitise our people.”