By Obike Ukoh
Water is life, is a timeless adage, but in Ebonyi State, water saved lives. When Ebonyi was created on October 1, 1996, by the Sani Abacha military administration, many people transferred to the new state by their various establishments, were hesitant to move. They were afraid of being infested with guinea worn, a water borne disease.
As a result of great deficit in potable water supply, guinea worm was endemic in the new state, especially in the Abakaliki bloc. However, as at that time, the Ezillo Water Scheme was functional, and it supplied potable water to parts of Abakaliki, the state capital.
The dreaded guinea worm was indeed more endemic and prevalent in the rural areas.
The Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (NIGEP), stated inter alia then :As we close our books in 1996, the current status of guinea worm in Ebonyi is that the state accounts for 3,370 of the 4,684 cases reported in the South-East.’’
NIGEP said that based on projected case reduction, Ebonyi may carry the guinea worm disease into the 21st century.
It however said that, "the state may be guinea worm free by 1999, if there was sustained water supply. The projection assumed that everyone in Ebonyi will drink only safe water during the 1999 transmission season.’’
As a result of sustained investments and commitments in potable water supply, boosted by the new military administrations, and further sustained by the Sam Egwu and Martin Elechi civilian administrations, Ebonyi did not record any case by the end of 2008.
Nigeria was subsequently certified guinea worn free, which was unarguably achieved because of Ebonyi Government’s huge investments in the supply of potable water across the state.
Though there is no resurgence of guinea worm, and there cannot be any, as the disease has been completely eradicated, but potable water is now a scarce commodity in Abakaliki and other parts of the state.
The reason is obvious, potable water supply was not given priority during the 8-year of Gov. Dave Umahi administration, as the administration even scrapped the Water Corporation, and merged it with the ministry. On that people jokingly say, We needed water, but Umahi gave us flyovers.’’
But recently, some areas of Abakaliki the state capital has started enjoying potable water supply, though not on daily basis. The development was as a result of rehabilitation carried out at the Ezillo Water Scheme, that serves some parts of Abakaliki. Also, under Governor Ogbonnaya Nwifuru’sPeople’s Charter of Needs,’’ supply of potable water was accorded a priority.
Mrs. Angela Nduka, the Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Water Resources, who spoke on the supply of potable water to some areas in Abakaliki, said that the ministry was doing everything possible to reactivate all the water schemes in the state.
Ebonyi State has five water schemes, viz: Ezillo , Oferekpe, Old Abakaliki, Ukawu, and Ishiagu .
Nduka said that for now, water is being supplied to some areas in Abakaliki from the Ezillo Water Scheme, adding that the 40,000 cubic metres reservoir at Umuoghara is now functional.
She said that rehabilitation work on the Old Abakaliki Regional Water Scheme was almost completed.
“You know that we have water schemes scattered in Ebonyi; the Ezillo, Oferekpe and Old Abakaliki water schemes, among others.
“But, for now, it is the Ezillo Water Scheme that we are delivering water to the public, hence not all parts of the capital city is getting supplies.
“The Oferekpe Water Scheme will soon be ready with the rehabilitation work going on there.
“In the Old Abakaliki Water Scheme, reconstruction work is equally going on and will soon be completed,” Nduka said.
Residents of Abakaliki, that spoke on the restoration of public water supply to Abakaliki and environs, described the development as a great relief.
They said that the restoration came at the right time, especially now that there was acute water scarcity due to the dry season.
Mrs. Agnes Onwe, a petty trader and resident, praised the state governor for prioritising water and other social services.
Onwe said that the last time she fetched water from the public source was during the administration of former Gov. Martin Elechi in 2015.
She noted that the recent reactivation of moribund public water schemes in the state, leading to the water supply had brought back the good memories of the former administrations of Dr. Sam Egwu and Elechi, when water was the cheapest commodity in the state.
“I’m glad and grateful to our hard working governor for restoring public water supply. We last fetched public water in this area in 2015 during the administration of former Gov. Martin Elechi.
“But, shortly after the inauguration of the administration of former Gov. David Umahi, public water supply ceased completely and people depended on boreholes and streams for their daily domestic water needs.
“Those who detest drinking borehole water resorted to sachet water and all these contributed to increase in cost of living in the capital city.
“But, with full restoration of water supply , families will now spend less of their income in buying water from private water sources that cost heavily,” Onwe said.
She further appealed to the authorities in the Ministry of Water Resources to fix burst water pipes that had caused leakages and waste in parts of the capital city.
Another resident, Mr. Paul Idika, a public health worker said that the quick intervention of the present administration in the water sector showed that the government was in tune with the yearnings of the people.
He described water as one of the most basic infrastructure needed for healthy living, ascribing outbreaks of major tropical infectious diseases including cholera to the absence of potable, safe and affordable water.
“The restoration of regular water supply to Abakaliki and environs is indeed a great achievement by the Nwifuru administration, and we look forward to its sustainability.
“Abakaliki has been without functional water supply making the people vulnerable to some of the killer communicable water-borne diseases, such as cholera, but with the development, people can now get their water needs from reliable source,” Idika said.
He appealed to the government to ensure that all the water schemes in the state are fully activated to ensure 24-hour water supply.
Some students at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Presco Campus, who also spoke on the restoration of public water supply, said they now spend less in buying water for their daily consumption.
The students who lamented the high cost of water from private boreholes said that they spend so much weekly on water only.
Some of the students including; Messrs Fred Okoro, Ignatius Eze, Monday Elom and Miss Uchechi Okpara applauded the government for restoring public water supplies, describing it as a ‘milestone’ and respite to the students who spent a chunk of their pocket money on water.
“Here, we buy 25-litre gallon of borehole water between N200 and N300 depending on the owner and availability of light from the public power source.
Also, a bag of sachet water costs between N400 and N500 depending on the product.
“Here, many of the lodges (private hostels) don’t have boreholes; so, on the average, as a student in a week you will be spending not less than N5,000 on water alone, and this is not funny, considering the state of the economy,” they said.
The students, who noted that early morning supply adopted by the Ministry of Water Resources was negatively affecting them in terms of lectures.
They appealed to the state government to extend the duration to accommodate students.
Mr Abia Onyike, a former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi, commended Nwifuru, for painstakingly giving priority to the needs of the people.
Onyike, who was also a former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), praised Nwifuru for restarting many abandoned project.
He noted that reactivation work is ongoing at the multi-billion naira Oferekpe Water Scheme which was started by former Governor Martin Elechi, but was abandoned by former Governor David Umahi.
Onyike also said that the refurbishing of the Ezillo and the Juju Hill water schemes were measures taken by the present administration to restore water supply in Ebonyi State, after the citizens’ were deprived of water supply for about 8 years.
He described as great relief, the restoration of potable public water supply to the people, stressing that many families spent fortunes daily to buy sachet water for drinking.
Residents and stakeholder are optimistic and hopeful that Governor Nwifuru will sustain the tempo of ensuring regular water supply to the people, in line with his People’s Charter of Needs.
Obike Ukoh, Ex-Deputy Editor-In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
