Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
In a bid to end incessant outbreak of cholera and other water borne diseases, Ebonyi State Government, in partnership with the Federal Government, has provided borehole to 49 Ebonyi communities.
Commissioner for Water Resources, Chinedu Nkah stated this in Abakaliki, capital of the state on Wednesday.
He said the state government has revitalised the moribund Ebonyi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency with the aim of building new boreholes and repairing damaged ones.
He noted that the Agency is partnering with the Federal Governmen’s Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (P-WASH).
He said: “We are doing a lot in that area. First of all, what we did was to revitalise the Ebonyi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, which is the main focus of this rural water supply.
“And we are collaborating with a federal agency called Partnership for Expanded Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (P-WSH) to build boreholes. And as I am talking to you, we have completed 49 boreholes.”
The Commissioner noted that the boreholes were distributed across four local government areas which include Izzi, Ikwo, Ohaukwu, and Afikpo.
He said the programme will continue until all captured communities are provided with clean drinking water which he said will go a long way in ending the outbreak of cholera and other water borne diseases.
Mr Nkah explained the Ministry is also building toilets in a bid to stop open defecation.
“We are also building toilets. Lack of toilets facilities is another major source of cholera outbreak.It is very dangerous to defecate in the bushes because when the rain falls, it washes the whole thing back to the water and the community people will drink it, and it becomes a serious problem,” he said.
The Commissioner revealed that the Ministry is also planning to partner the Association of Local Government Areas (ALGON) in the state to revitalise old boreholes.
“Then the old boreholes, over 98% of them are damaged. So I am talking to ALGON so that we can partner to fix all these portholes in the communities.
“We provide the manpower and they provide the funding. Some of theese borehokes will cost less than 100,000 to repair. So we are urging the local governments to partner with us. Just little things and these boreholes will be fixed. It’s not everything that they leave for the state.”
He noted that the Ministry is completing work on Oferekpe water scheme to add to the already revitalised Ezilo water scheme to ensure non-stop water to all parts of Abakaliki capital territory, Ebonyi North and Central senatorial zones of the state.
The Commissioner denied allegations that the Ministry has no plans for the uncompleted Ukawu water scheme.
He noted that as someone from Ebonyi South zone the Ukawu water project is top on the list of priority projects to be executed by the ministry.
Mr Nkah explained that the project was not captured in the 2024 budget adding that the Ministry is making efforts to capture it in the 2025 budget.
