BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
Persistent vandalisation of pipelines in Calabar and other parts of the state is the reason for lack of water supply in the state, the Managing director of Water Board Limited Chief Victor Ekpo, has said.
Governor Ben Ayade’s administration is determined to make water flow in every home in the state as massive repairs of vandalised pipes have commenced and enough water treatment chemicals procured.
It could be recalled that In the days of former governors Mr. Donald Duke and first tenure of Senator Liyel Imoke, it was delight to turn on the taps in the comfort of your home and water will flow but in the later part of Imoke’s second term, the pipes went dry as several pipelines were vandalised by hoodlums.
Besides huge debt that is slowing down current administration in terms of compulsory monthly deduction at the federation account was incurred by past governments to fix water in the state.
But with a recent renewed vigor by Ayade, water is beginning to flow in some parts of Calabar, Akamkpa, Ugep, Abi and few others.
As part of efforts to ensure steady water supply in the state the Managing Director of Water Board Limited Chief Victor Ekpo and his management team visited the elders and youths of Akamkpa recently to complain of vandalisation of government water facilities in the community.
Ekpo said the youths of the community had recently stopped the staff managing the community water facility from carrying out their duty of putting in place a new generator that would provide water.
He said, “when we took tour of our facilities, we found out that some of our facilities were vandalized by the youth of Akamkpa local government. From the water intake, our armored cable, a lot of things happen there and we have about seven or eight substations in the state and other stations are working very well apart from Akamkpa”.
He gave the assurance that water supply in Calabar and other parts of the state will be steady as enumeration of houses have started to ensure that water from Water Board gets to everyone.
On power, he said “we have another challenge of power and the issue of transformer, we are here to meet with you elders and the youth leaders for a very serious caution and understanding, we as Water Board Management we want to have an understanding with the youths of this place for them to assure us of the safety of Water Board facilities and again for them to know that whatever we are bringing into Akamkpa belongs to Cross River State Water Board, not the youths, apart from the water that comes into your house and the meters.
However communities in Akamkpa local government area have agreed to partner with the Cross River State Water Board to secure and stop miscreants from vandalizing the Water Plant.
The elders and the youths who complained that Akamkpa being the only local government that generates revenue to the state is lacking portable water, promised to secure the facilities if only the state government would keep to its on bargain of providing water to the communities.
Speaking on behalf of the elders, Secretary to the Council, Mr. Charles Inok and Chief Emmanuel Akim said, “we heard all what you said, and we assure you that our youths will help in securing your facilities provided you are going to provide us with water. You cannot expect us to guide the place when we don’t have water”.
