The Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Water Resources on Thursday met with a contractor, Fordmarx Nig. Ltd. in a bid to tackle water scarcity in the state.
The meeting, which had in attendance the management team of Fordmarx Nig. Ltd., afforded the lawmakers the opportunity to assess the company’s capacity to deliver quality water augmentation project to the state.
Fordmark Nig. Ltd. is one of the companies shortlisted by the state government for the augmentation of water scheme to the Ninth Mile area of the state.
Declaring the meeting open, the House Committee Chairman on Water Resources, Mrs Ethel Oyibo-Ugwuanyi, said that the importance of water to the survival of the state residents could not over-emphasised.
“We, the house committee members, invited Fordmarx Company in order to know how it will assist the state government to achieve the goal of improving water supply.
“Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had, at the inception of his administration, promised to improve water supply in Enugu State.
“This informed his decision to channel available resources toward achieving the goal,” Oyibo-Ugwuanyi said.
Commenting, the Leader of the House, Mr Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, noted that the Enugu State Government had invested much resources to ensure that residents of Enugu metropolis would enjoy adequate water supply.
Ezeugwu, however, regretted that the efforts had not yielded the desired result.
“I blame incompetent contractors for the lingering scarcity of water.
“The state government will no longer engage incompetent contractors to sabotage its efforts of resuscitating various water schemes in the state,” the lawmaker said.
The Special Adviser to the state governor on Water Resources, Mr Anthony Onyia, said that the Ninth Mile Water Project was aimed at augmenting the existing Ajali Water Scheme.
Onyia said that the scheme would also provide an immediate solution to water scarcity in the area.
Responding, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Clifford Nnaji, said that the water project would cost N599 million, adding that it would be solar-powered.
Nnaji gave the assurance that the project, when completed, would supply 4,000 cubic litres of water to the Okwojo-Ngwo Community daily.
The managing director assured the lawmakers that the solar panel to be used would have 20 years warranty and the pump, two years warranty.
He added that the company would train individuals on how to maintain the facilities.