By Desmond Ejibas
Barako (Rivers) – The Federal Government on Wednesday inaugurated and handed over 500,000 cubic metre water scheme to Ogoni communities in Rivers.
Residents of Ogoniland have been grappling with decades of crude oil spillages that polluted its ground and surface water to cancerous levels.
Mr Ibrahim Yusufu, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment inaugurated the water scheme at Barako community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers.
He said the project was among the several actionable steps taken by the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to the Ogoni people in fulfilment of the UNEP Report.
“The scheme, which was flagged off on March 2, 2022, is the second Lot to be completed from the six Lots in the first phase of our emergency water intervention in Ogoniland.
“The water plant has an installed storage capacity of 500,000 cubic metre of water with a 10 kilometre rectification stretch connecting households.
“The ministry is making deliberate efforts to recover lost grounds, to ensure timely delivery of emergency intervention projects in line with the 2011 UNEP Report on environmental restoration of Ogoniland,” he said.
Yusufu assured the Federal Government would deliver the remaining four Lots of the emergency water intervention before the end of the year.
He said the projects were currently ongoing at Alesa and Agboachia; Nsisioken, Ogale and Ebubu; Terabor, Bera and Biara and Bori, Kpean and Bori Booster Stations.
“The four lots ongoing in the four booster stations would be completed before the end of 2023.
“We will also hand over additional 14 Lots to contractors under phase two of the potable water scheme in Ogoniland.
“The second phase of the project will cover 52 communities across the four local government areas of Ogoniland, comprising Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai,” he added.
The permanent secretary said that residents of Agboachia, Alesa and Aleto communities in Eleme council were already enjoying steady supply of potable water to their homes.
According to him, the ministry and Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) were engaging with the benefiting communities to take ownership, to sustain the facilities.
“So, efforts are being intensified to cover more milestones in HYPREP’s implementation framework, to find lasting solutions to challenges of vandalism and agitations that have affected delivery of the projects.
“However, we have mandated contractors handling the ongoing projects to expedite execution and deliver the remaining plants, in line with project stipulated specifications and global best practice,” he said.
On his part, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey assured the lead remediation agency would ensure the projects were sustained and facilities maintained.
He promised that HYPREP would continue to collaborate with the communities in the design and execution of the projects as well as handover the facilities to the benefiting communities.
“HYPREP will manage the facilities for the first two years, within which period it will train community workers as well as set up the Water Consumers Association for optimal management of the facilities,” he said. (NAN)
