In every new government that comes into existence there often exist a number of inherited undone, semi-done or most commonly the one known within the poli-linguistic parlance as ‘Abandoned Project’, from a past administration to an incoming one.
The unattended projects could be on such areas as infrastructure, economy, manpower,. education, employment; to mention just a few. It is however the ability of any incoming government to initiate ideas towards tackling the inherited shortfalls that matters. In line with the above reality therefore, it is almost practically impossible for a new government to inherit an administration devoid of challenges.
The real question usually bothers on the size of the inherited projects and how the incoming administration will go about managing them for effective result. Whereas some governments prefer looking elsewhere while passing the buck on their predecessors, a more proactive ones would rather initiate ways forward to make up for the lapses and that is all that should count.
The Ebonyi State government under the leadership of His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, is not an exception to the above alluded phenomenon. He inherited a number of such challenges ranging from those in infrastructure and social amenities such as bad roads, lack of electricity, lack of potable water, to poor sanitation, insecurity, poor moral value system, among others.
Unlike the alluded administrations above that may prefer playing the blame game to shy away from their responsibilities on continuity in governance, the State government went headlong initiating innovative ideas in tackling the existing problems while pro actively working on preventing the mistakes others make in line with the common saying, prevention is better than cure.
In the Ministry of Water Resources therefore, the State Government has taken a multifaceted approach to tackling and possibly bringing to a total end the perennial scarcity of potable water that has been bedeviling the State. This approach it is believed, when fully executed harnessed, will eventually boost and sustain the availability of potable water in the State and its environs for domestic,agricultural, industrial and other purposes.
The Ministry which was created at the inception of this administration; under His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, started its water projects activities with an aggressive reticulation of water pipes across the streets in Abakaliki and it’s environs knowing fully well that the existing ones have either been weaken by nature or human activities or totally damaged by same factor. Even areas that were not reticulated before were now being captured in the exercise in a bid to facilitate the distribution of potable water in the State within the shortest possible future. This was the very first among many other water projects embarked upon by the Ministry under its pioneer Commissioner, Engr. Francis Uduma Orji at assumption of office.
Though the reticulation exercise has been completed in many Streets within the Abakaliki environs, the remaining ones are currently being carried out and the Ministry is poised in ensuring its full completion. It is noteworthy to know therefore that the exercise is done with the current World Health recommended standard ‘HDPE’ pipes; for durability and safe health.
Parts of the streets that have been fully covered with the reticulation exercise include: Nnorom Street, Emefor/ Sir Otu Street to Ezza road, EBSU permanent site Ezzamgbo, EBSU-College of Health Sciences (CHS) Presco Campus, Hilltop road to Juju hill booster station, EBSU- College of Agricultural Sciences(CAS) Campus, Ezza road(dual sides), Amagu/Nwele Street, among others.
With the coming on board of Mrs. Euphemia Nwali; a smooth-going, industrious and indefatigable lady; who took over from the pioneer Commissioner, Engr. Orji, therefore the bar has just been raised further to achieve more desired goals within the shortest possible timeframe. It will be recalled that recently the State Government in partnership with the Sustainable Development Goal’s-SDG’s, embarked upon a massive rehabilitation of Water Projects in the State. To this end the credit in no small measure should be directed to the ever proactive Governor of the State; His Excellency, Engr. David Umahi, for his well conceived vision in this direction.
Mrs. Nwali; is now saddled with the responsibilities of not only supervising the ongoing reticulation exercise but also those of the multiple Projects jointly sponsored by the State Government and the SDG’s, tagged,’ 2015 WATER PROJECTS’, launched on the 25th of August 2016. This joint venture is meant to see the rehabilitation and total overhauling of most of the existing water schemes including Ezillo, Old Abakaliki, Uburu, and even the completion of Ukawu Water Scheme.
Accordingly, the booster stations such as Sakamori Ezamgbo, Sakamori Abakaliki, Juju Hill Abakaliki, among others. are not left out in these mega exercise as they are also being overhauled.
Beside the rehabilitation of the booster stations, new reservoirs are being constructed at Nzashi Echara in Ikwo, Ezicha in Izzi, Agu-Ugwu in Uburu, and among others.
Constructions of Impounded Water facilities and special overhead tanks at designated locations specifically at the three Rice Mills Clusters at Onu-Igboji, Ikwo; Iboko, Izzi and Oso-Edda, Afikpo South are among the benefits of this partnership between the State Government and the SDG’s that is currently going on. And this in effect is to improve the activities of the industrial Clusters there.
And to cap it all, the State Government on its own has also embarked upon a construction of a new Water Scheme at Ishiagu in Ivo L.G.A. to give water to the indigenes of Ishiagu.
Indeed the task before Mrs. Euphemia Nwali is enormous but she is equal to the task as she personally supervises the various Projects with the help of the engineering experts in her Ministry.
All these are geared towards making water aggressively available for use in the State for all purposes and to put to an end the perennial water scarcity which has remain monstrous in the State.
This is indeed a step in the right direction and must be commended by all.
To God be the glory!
By Nwanchor Sunday Junior
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