Rivers community secures N500m Water project contract

Ikuru Community in Andoni Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State has signed a N500-million water project contract between the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) and two contractors.

The community disclosed that it will begin commercial bottled water production with the funds to address water challenges and also export the products for financial enhancement.

The water project is part of the implementation of the 3% operating expenses (OPEX) by the Joint Ventures (JV), as provided by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) recommendations. Green Energy and Lekoil are implementing the project through the HCDT, with an independent board of trustees.

The two major contracts include a water drilling project handled by GEMARK Construction Limited, while the contract for the facility house was awarded to PEEMAN Integrated Services, with specifications for timely delivery.

The Chairman of the BoT of Ikuru Town HCDT, Professor Lysias Gilbert, explained that the community’s decision to venture into bottled water production is due to its peculiar terrain, which is surrounded by ocean and salt water.

He noted that the community has access to swamp and freshwater on the island, making it challenging to secure potable drinking water.

“That is why we want to tackle this challenge as much as possible this time, believing that we will have a major breakthrough,” he said.

Prof. Gilbert disclosed that the management committee will monitor the projects to ensure they are executed according to specifications, with milestones achieved.

He explained, “The total cost of the project is over N500 million. That is why we decided to handle the contracts in phases. This is phase one, where GEMARK will drill water at over N30 million, and PEEMAN will build the facility house at about N40 million. We believe that by the second phase, more funds from the 3% allocation will be available for constructing water tanks.

“When good water is produced by GEMARK that is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, we will be able to lay pipes to connect the entire community with water. We already have some Gee Pee tanks in the community, which is why we aim to complete the project by this December.

“By the end of next year, if we complete this phase, we will set up a water facility for commercial purposes and export bottled water to generate more revenue for the community. This will provide a sustainable revenue stream for future projects. We are committed to ensuring no project is abandoned during our tenure.”

Speaking on behalf of Green Energy and Lekoil JV, Godwin Okeke stressed the importance of the project to both the community and the JV due to the challenges of accessing potable water in the area.

“In the past, several water projects, even by well-known IOCs, were not successful,” Okeke noted.

He highlighted the JV’s strong relationship with the community, which he said would facilitate the timely delivery of the project.

“The JV has an excellent relationship with the communities. In fact, we were the first company to initiate community development projects even before the first well was drilled. We established a memorandum of understanding, through which we contribute funds annually for sustainable community development.

“With the structure provided by the PIA through the HCDT, we are ensuring that the money from the JV is used efficiently,” Okeke added.

Lawson George, a resident of the community, expressed joy, saying the project would rescue the community from the horrors of water challenges.