Abia State plans to resuscitate its moribund water scheme and ensure steady public water supply with the N2 billion provided in this year’s budget, Commissioner for Utilities Mr. Tony Ezebiro has said.
Ezebiro, who spoke in Umuahia when a United States-based consultancy firm appointed by the Federal Government visited him, noted that it was the first time the state will make such a budgetary allocation to address challenges of the water sector.
He said previous allocations had never gone beyond N200 million, adding that the administration has demonstrated the political will to support Federal Government’s reform in the water sector. Ezebiro hoped the visit would encourage the state to revive the water sector.
He said the government set up a Steering Committee to liaise with the team to facilitate the reactivation of public water schemes.
The commissioner assured the people the ministry would support the team to succeed.
The leader of the three-member team from Castalia Advisor, Mr. Wole Afolabi, said they were in the state for an on-the-spot assessment.
“We came to carry out an organisational diagnosis of the Abia Water Board.
“We are here to X-ray every level of activities in the board, including the technical, engineering, water supply, infrastructure, commercial, financial management, institutions and other stakeholders in the water sector,” he said.
Afolabi said Abia was one of the 12 states selected for the Federal Government’s intervention for an efficient public water supply.
He said the team would prepare the ground for a new water policy in the country.
“The policy and law create an enabling environment for the water board to perform to expectation.”
Afolabi said most water boards depended on the government for fund rather than operate as an independent commercial outfit.
Said he: “Water boards are supposed to be autonomous and generate money for the state. They are supposed to be on their own, pay workers and buy chemicals.
“They should stop seeing themselves as civil servants. Rather they should see themselves as businessmen and service providers, trading in water as their commodity.
“They should run the board as a profitable venture, not the way they are running it now.’’
Afolabi listed dilapidated infrastructure and dependence on the government for funding as some challenges affecting operations of water boards.
The General Manager of the Water Board, Mr. Chiemela Ogbonna, said the team held meetings with the Steering Committee to ensure success of their assignment.