Abakaliki – The Ebonyi government plans to spend N1.5 billion to achieve its water supply goals which includes rehabilitation of existing schemes and reticulation.
Gov. David Umahi, said on Thursday while inaugurating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) water projects in the three senatorial zones of the state.
Umahi said that his administration would ensure that all local government areas were properly reticulated with water before the end of his tenure.
“The money is to complete all the existing projects, rehabilitate existing ones and ensure the reticulation of water to all parts of the state.
“We added N900 million to the N600 million we had paid as counterpart fund to complete the projects. This will complement our electrification projects in the state,’’ he said.
He named the projects to include rehabilitation of Ezillo water scheme, Sakamori water scheme and Ohaozara water scheme.
“The main source of reticulating would be through the Oferekpe Mega-Water Scheme and the rehabilitation of the other schemes is to ensure water supply when the mega scheme is not functioning,” he said
“Ebonyi will not join the bandwagon of states borrowing to pay workers as it will be tantamount to postponing the doomsday.
“This will be a worse situation for the state but we will continue paying salaries and pensions every month in spite the prevalent economic challenges,” he said.
Umahi also said that kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes would soon be totally eradicated in the state to make it habitable.
“We are collaborating with the police and other security agencies to install cameras and other surveillance apparatus in major entries and exit points in the state.
“This is to ensure proper monitoring of people’s movement and make it difficult for kidnappers and armed robbers to operate easily,’’ he said.
The focal person of SDGs in the state, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu, attributed the realisation of the projects to the governor’s determination and commitment to develop of the state.
“I urge the people in whose areas the projects are being executed to ensure that they are properly maintained and protected,” Obichukwu said.
The Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area, Mr Peter Nwogbaga, noted that the SDGs programmes would assist in realising the developmental goals of the state government.
“We assure the contractors handling the water projects of adequate security of lives and equipment,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goodwill messages were given on the occasion by relevant stakeholders who pledged their support to the actualisation of the objectives. (NAN)