Ebonyi govt. to make laws to regulate indiscriminate drilling of boreholes 

……vows to tackle acute water scarcity in Ebonyi 

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki 

The Commissioner for water resources, Chinedum Nkah has reiterated the committed efforts of the State government to make laws, to regulate indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the thirteen local government areas of the state.

Nkah, equally revealed the preparedness of governor Francis Nwifuru to tackle the acute water scarcity currently facing the citizens of the state, especially in this yuletide season.

The Commissioner, Nkah who made this known while speaking with newsmen at the low lift of the old Abakiliki water scheme, located at CAS campus of the Ebonyi State University, lamented the vandalism of the water scheme by hoodlums in the state.

According to him: “we are right here at the low lift of the old Abakaliki water scheme. I must tell you that this is one of the signature projects of the governo,Francis Nwifuru. You may recall some time we were here with the governor. Then you could see that here was a vandalized up to the blocks.

"The block walls were vandalized. All the water facilities done during the former sole administrator, Jim Nwobodo was vandalized. By today you are seeing a different thing altogether.

"We have been able to complete the civil works. At the stage we are now with the electro-mechanicals, that is the installation of the pumping machines and the electrical works, so that we start delivering water from here. we pump the raw water off to the juju hill.

"You know, governor Francis Nwifuru promised Ebonyams that he was going to provide them with pipe bone water. And he's doing it, he's walking the talk, through what? Through three different means. One, the rehabilitation and building of water schemes.

"Two, reticulation of water. Three, production and supply of water. So, as we are today, we are done with the Ezillo water scheme long ago, it's in full capacity, 100 percent full capacity.

"Ufuruekpe water scheme is at 90 percent. We are just completing the main supply line. The work we are doing at the opposite speedway filling station is going to, because of the rain, we couldn't complete it during the season, but we are completing that now.

"So,this is where we are, the old Abakiliki water scheme. we are working very hard to ensure that we can deliver, to add two to the Ezillo water scheme. That is the old Abakiliki water scheme and the Ufuruekpe water scheme. 

The Ishiagu water scheme, the civil works have been completed. By the next fiscal year, from January, we'll be talking about the electro-mechanicals, that is the piping, installation of water production pumps, and other auxiliary works. So, that is the stage where we are. 

"There are over 70 streets and roads that we have covered. But now, even in the centenary city, we have the capacity now to deliver water up to the governor's lodge. So, we are piping the Camp David estate and a whole lot of areas.

"This water works and all the adjoining streets don't have water. You'd be surprised if I tell you they don't have water.

"I encourage people to come for connection if your house is not connected. This is because, I want to stabilise water. We are working on our water law to take care of all these issues. And all these things will come.

"Immediately, we stabilise water. And the first quarter of next year, we are going to go into a lot of things. Even all this indiscriminate putting of boreholes, the law will take care of it. 

"We are going to stop those things. Because people are putting boreholes indiscriminately. And also, people are being rip off by borehole drillers. 

"The law will take care of those things. Somebody will tell you, it's doing 100 metres for you. It ends up doing 15 metres. 

"You don't know that. You don't have the technology to check it. So, and then, during dry season, you don't see water again. So, we are coming up with a water law that will take care of all these" he stated.