Scarcity of potable water in Umuahia municipality of Abia State will soon be a thing of the past with the ground breaking ceremony of the sustainable Ugba Na Nkata Gravitational Water Scheme by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who confirmed that the first phase of the project will be completed within the first 100 days of his second term in office.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony held at Ugba Na Nkata,
Governor Ikpeazu reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to not only provide and reticulate potable water to the entire capital City of Umuahia but also ensure that all Regional Water Schemes located in Umuahia, Aba and beyond become operational within the shortest time possible.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, lauded the USAID E- WASH program for “including Abia as one of the pilot States that will benefit from their vision of providing safe and potable water to the nation and for agreeing to give the State an implementation time extension to enable the citizenry enjoy good life, decongest our hospitals and give our people safe drinking water, good sanitation and engender good hygiene practices”.
While reassuring the people of Ugba Na Nkata that Government will tackle all their problems in line with its electioneering promises, the State Chief Executive thanked them for their support and urged them to take full ownership of the project by protecting it from vandalization.
Earlier in his address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Public Utility And Water Resources, Sir Dike Ezenwa, said the new sustainable Water Scheme which will increase the initial design capacity of the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme when functional will accommodate the various New Housing Estates across the State Capital as it is designed to meet the 90/60 days timeline of the USAID/E-WASH project assigned to the State as well as serve as one of the accomplished projects in the first 100 days in office of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu led administration.
Also speaking during the event which was witnessed by several top government officials, including the state Commissioner for Infornation, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Johnson Onuigbo, former Commissioners for Public Utilities, and Trade & Investment, Rt Hon Chidiebere Nwoke and Chief Charles Ogbonna, a Spokesman of Ugba Na Nkata community, Chief Michael Onuoha, expressed happiness at the imminent realization of the water project which he said would go a long way in ameliorating the challenges associated with potable water availability in the city and called on Government to assist them in providing employment to their youth, give a facelift to their road and support sanitation improvement in the area.
While thanking Governor Ikpeazu for his commitment to improve the water sector in the state, the General Manager, Abia State Water And Sewage Corporation, Engineer Leo Ogbonna, in his vote of thanks, stressed that all their projects are permanent and sustainable with a view to making the State a model in similar project.
~Abia Info
