DTSG Seeks Private Partnership To Sustain Gains Achieved In Water Schemes …. As Govt Set To Commission More Than 110 Water Intervention Projects
By Emmanuel Enebeli
ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government had called on citizens who are in the water business to come forward and invest in the state water projects executed by the state government across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon Samuel Mariere made this call on Monday, February 20, 2023, at a press briefing to give the scorecard of the ministry and efforts to provide water to Deltans through its various water scheme programmes.
Hon Mariere said the call for private individuals to partner with the state government had become necessary as the government cannot provide water for everyone in the state, but can create an enabling condition for the private operators to get involved especially in the management of the already existing water schemes built by the government and donor agencies.
the Commissioner pointed out that the state Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is very passionate to the water needs of Deltans, as supply to the population is key to good sanitary conditions.
He stated that water supply to consumers is never free in any part of the world, and for effective management and distribution of water to households in the state, Deltans, especially those from the same communities should come forward and partner with the state to ensure that water gets to the people at all time.
“We have many water projects in various communities in the state. These water projects will function well if organisations in the water business can come forward and take over the maintenance of these water schemes provided by the government and donor agencies.”
“One thing we must know is that there is no place in the water that water supply to the population is free in the world, and the government cannot do this alone. We need private partners, who will take over the management of these water schemes, charge consumers little amount for them and ensure that supply of water to the population is sustained.”
On the efforts of the state government to supply water to the population, the commissioner stated that the state government had intervened in many abandoned water schemes in the state, which were discovered to be abandoned because of minor faults and power supply.
He said the ministry’s efforts to ensure the population gets the needed water supply, at all times, had caused the ministry to convert most of the sources of power to solar, an alternative power supply from diesel fuel.
He said the government has intervened in over 110 water schemes across the state in the past six months, stating that Asaba, Okpanam and Ibusa water schemes would soon come on board, while the State Capital Territory water schemes had been awarded, and a contractor would soon mobilize to site.
He said, on completion, a private sector management team would run the schemes for a period of one year, with a view to ensuring efficiency, pointing out that the main objective was to be sure that every household in Asaba and the environs had access to potable water.
He named the functional urban water supply schemes to include those in Bomadi, Patani, Obiaruku, Owa Ekei, Ugwanja in Sapele, Owa Oyibu, Orerokpe, Owa Alero , Adonishaka in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Ogbe Ogume in Ndokwa West and in Ika Ute Erumu, adding that the contractors that handled the projects had been fully paid.
The Commissioner, who identified poor power supply, theft and vandalism as challenges militating against effective water supply systems, urged the benefitting communities to take ownership of the water schemes to be able to protect and take full advantage of them.
