Abia moves to reactivate 57 water projects in Aba

Abia State Government has expressed disgust with the state of the multi-million naira Aba regional water scheme being executed by an Israeli Company, the JDP Construction.

The commissioner for Public Utilities, Hon Chidiebere Nwoke, who disclosed this in Umuahia said, the execution of the project has lingered for years without actualization. He however hinted on government’s determination to activate the 57 water projects inherited from the old Imo state government.

Nwoke stressed that the Aba project contract should be determined and dis-encumbered to pave way for the Abia State government to do the needful for water to flow there from to Aba residents. The Commissioner said by the state of the project, JDP Company has held the Federal Government that awarded the contract and Abia State to ransom stressing that the scenario must not continue.

Nwoke, who debunked the insinuations in some quarters that the state government was lukewarm to providing water to the state, told The Guardian that government has been involved in various water projects in parts of the state especially  in major towns.

According to him, it is the state government’s top priority to provide the citizenry with water and other utilities.He solicited help from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Baseline Studies and the revival of the Umuahia Regional Water Scheme which cost of activation he put at above N3 billion.

The Commissioner further disclosed that the state  has set into motion the process of securing twenty million Euro facility for the activation of moribund  water projects in the state.

“Government is willing to provide the utilities but is financially handicapped”, he added.He therefore urged residents to pay their water rate as the costs  of providing water and other facilities are enormous, adding that already, billing Meters have been procured from the USAID.