Ebonyi Govt Expresses Commitment On Completing Abakaliki, Oferekpe Water Schemes
Alex Odeh
Ebonyi State government has said that its target was to complete the Abakaliki and Oferekpe Water Schemes to ensure the availability of pipe borne water to Abakaliki capital city and its environs.
The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Chinedu Nkah disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abakaliki.
He, however explained that the Ezillo Water Treatment Plant was working, while civil works for the Ishiagu Water Scheme had been completed, even as he further stated that the Ebonyi State government would soon commence work on the gigantic Ukawu Water Scheme.
He said, “You will agree with me that before the end of this year, we are going to have enough water for the capital city and the environment. So, the greatest challenge before me now, before the Ministry, is to ensure that most of the streets are articulated so that they will have access to this water at the end of the day. Because bringing the water from Oferekpe , Ezilo, is already working.
“The Abakaliki Water Scheme is coming on board. So, the challenge before us is to ensure that all the streets, all the new layouts, including where we are now, they don’t have water. They are to be properly articulated so that the people and the offices could have access to this water.And we are working very hard to achieve that.
He explained that the Ukawu Water Scheme is very important to Ebonyi State because it has the capability to address the water need of Ebonyi South zone, “The Ukawu Water Scheme is the scheme I, for one, took very seriously because that scheme is very important. The Ukawu Water Scheme is as large as Oferekpe Water Scheme. If not, all the segmentation. The Ukawu Water Scheme has the capacity to take care of the whole south.
He, however, gave reasons why the Ebonyi State government was focusing on the Abakaliki and Oferekpe Water Schemes before attending to the Ukawu Water Scheme.
“And all we needed to do was just to put a booster station along the line and then push the water to other areas. The scheme is as big as Oferekpe Water Scheme. So, with that in mind, we will, instead of taking all these things at once and then end up not achieving any, we are concentrating on completing the Abakaliki Water Scheme and the Oferekpe Water Scheme.
“The plant is already working. It’s just the challenge we have at opposite speedway filling station, that they cut our pipe, which we are working seriously to fix. So, once we get that done, Oferekpe is good to go because the water will now get to the Central Reservoir.
He said the Ministry of Water Resources would within the week approached the governor for the commencement of electromechanical and piping work at Ishiagu Water Scheme.
“Then, the Ishiagu Water Scheme, the civil works have been completed. So, we are in the process of, we have articulated all that is required for the electromechanicals and piping. We shall move forward to the governor this week. So, we are very hopeful that we will start piping and electromechanical of Ishiagu Water Scheme. Because we are done with the civil works.
He went further by assuring Ebonyi to be hopeful of adequate water supply, “What are you telling Eboyians now? What I am telling Eboyians is that the hope is very high as far as the water is concerned”, he assured.
