Ebonyi Water Commissioner Assures Residents Of Water Supply Before Friday

By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Chinedu Nkah, has said that with the arrival treatment plants to the state tomorrow (Wednesday), and subsequent installation by engineers, that water will start running from Friday.

Nkah, who disclosed this during a chat with journalists in his Abakaliki office, attributed the lack of water supply in the state to activities of hoodlums who vandalised water facilities at the Ezillo water scheme.

While thanking the people of Ebonyi State for their patience, Nkah reiterated that the Ebonyi State government is still alive to its promise of delivering water to the peole of Ebonyi State through the rehabilitated water schemes.

He said “We don’t fake things, we say things as it is. Yeah, whoever said there is no water, the person is correct. For some time we were not pumping water due to some challenges, including the theft of our infrastructure at the Ezillo water scheme.

“My target was to start delivering water supply before Friday, and by God’s grace we must achieve that. Our water treatment materials are on the way, which we have been expecting later tomorrow morning. The engineers are there fixing our cables”, he said.

He explained further that the Ebonyi State government has spent huge amount of money in the rehabilitation of Ezillo, Oferekpe and the old Abakliki water scheme, Ishiagu water scheme, adding that Ezillo, Oferekpe and Abakliki water schemes are almost on completion level.

“If you bring, for instance, 1 billion Naira and build a house, everybody crossing will be clapping, amd say, who built this house, it’s very fine. But you use the same 1 billion Naira and buy pipe along the ground, nobody will see it. And we have been doing that.

“This government has spent a lot in reticulation, for instance. They have spent a lot in fixing the water schemes. We have five water schemes. The Ezilo, the Oferekpe, the Old Abakaliki water scheme, the Ukawu water scheme, and the Ishiagu water scheme. These are the major water schemes we have in the state.

“And within three years, we can boast of about three water schemes in place. Ezilo water scheme is 100%. The Oferekpe water scheme is above 95% completion. The old Abakliki water scheme, the same. We are already doing test running of the old Abakliki water scheme.

“If we go to the Abakaliki water scheme low lift now, you see that the whole machines have been fixed. We started test running. And what we are doing now is that we are fixing the pipeline from the low lift to the high lift.

“So at most, give it one month, we’ll have that water scheme in place. So if we look at it, we’ll see that we’re doing great within the timeline. Yes, people might be impatient, they did not see water for some time.

“But we are very strategic, both in planning and executing our projects. And within a very short time now, starting from this week, I am telling you, starting from this week, we must start water production and supply from Ezilo again. And this time around, we’ll make it steady”, he assured.

He, however, told journalists that the main suspect responsible for the destruction of the water facilities at Ezillo has appeared in court for the fouth time.
“I was told the main suspect is appearing in court today for the third or fourth time. Because the men of underworld, while the government is making effort to fix the water infrastructure, they are busy stealing it”, he said.