DELTA State Government has commenced on-the-spot assessment of existing water schemes across the state with a view to rehabilitating them and make water available to Deltans.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Fidelis Tilije, led a team of various agencies under his ministry in company of the Commissioner for Housing, Arc. Joseph Ogeh, to visit the various water schemes in Isoko North and part of Isoko South local government areas to ascertain their functionality.
The first ports of call were the solar-powered water schemes at Ofagbe and Okpe-Isoko communities both rehabilitated by Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) in 2012 and 2013 respectively and still functional, where. Tilije however, expressed surprise that the facility at Ofagbe was still under lock and key at 11 am when the team arrived and advised that it should be made accessible to the people early enough.
The water scheme at Emede, which functions on both motorized and solar was also rehabilitated by DESOPADEC. At the time the team visited, the scheme was not functioning due to faulty pump. However, representative of the contracting firm (EXIMIOUS Concept), who was on ground said he only got the information that the scheme was not working three days before the commissioners’ visit.
Whereas, the water facilities at Ogewho-Iyede and Okpaige-Iyede were found to be functional, the one at Igbide was not working. According to the people of the community, the scheme stopped functioning over five years ago. The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was said to have rehabilitated the storage tanks but the scheme never worked because the pipes were not linked, they said.
Otor-Owhe and Ozoro water schemes both powered by motorize pumps were also visited and found to be non-functional due to challenges, ranging from weak and old Abestos Cement (AC) pipes, bad pumps, starter panel, unconnected pumps, uninstalled generating sets, power supply issues and leaking roof of the office building.
The Zonal Manager, Urban Water Board, Engr. Leonard Okporkpor, who conducted the commissioner round the various schemes in the zone, noted that due to development, population increase and presence of the Polytechnic, there was need for pipe replacement, inter-connections to streets and extension to newly developing areas.
The Pointer
0 comments:
Post a Comment