E-WASH Expresses Worry over Delta Govt’s Commitment to Water Sector

E-WASH Team Leader, Mr Adedayo Mark-Adeyemi and the General Manager of Delta State Urban Water Corporation, Engr. Nosa Okoh  receiving water networking equipments sent from USAID, at Asaba, recently.

Photo Credit: joiroro

The plans of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist in providing portable water supply to Deltans appears to be threatened due to delay of the Delta State government’s in meeting up with it’s commitment to the program.

Speaking at Asaba,the State Team Leader of Effective – Water Sanitation and Hygiene Services ( E-WASH) of USAID, Mr Mark Adedayo Mark-Adeyemi, said that the State Government is not doing enough to complement their efforts for complete execution of the program in the State.

Adeyemi explained that lack of cooperation on government’s part is stalling the last lap of the project which will eventually bring water to the people

He noted that the program which started two years ago has made tremendous impact on the Delta State Water Corporation but yet to see corresponding zeal by Government to deliver water to Asaba, Sapele, Agbor, Bomadi, Ogwashi-uku, Orerokpe, Ozoro, Kwale Ughelli and Warri.

The Team Leader however called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to prioritize water sector in the State to enable them utilize the Total grant from the USAID to the benefit of Deltans.

He said ” I am not satisfied with what the State Government is doing. Nobody reckons with water corporation in this State. Even the people in charge of the water are not interested. But there are still some places where they do not have water and they need it seriously. Some body should believe in what we are doing and make sure that we get result.

” they don’t understand our approach.” it is not business as usual but based on your performance.

” I am interested in the Governor understanding what we are doing so that he can know where to put support. I want the Governor to pay extra attention to what we are doing and to give us the necessary support so that we can achieve concrete result.

” we are spending over one billion naira in the next one year on treatment plant . if we ask the Governor to set aside 200 million for them to make it work, it should not be too much for them to look for it because it is not a loan but a grant.

” for our own projects there are some milestones that they need to meet before we do treatment plants. for instance, they are supposed to fence the area for the treatment plant but they are yet to do it. if they don’t fence it we won’t build it. it won’t cost them anything to build it.

” when we see that the people that are benefiting are giving it the appropriate attention, then we can confidently deploy other things. we can say we have gone this far and we can bring more to Delta.

” I have always known in this country that when the Governor is interested in something, everything falls into place.

” so the Governor needs to have an understanding that there is a momentum and besides that this time around he needs to be confident that if he puts money in the system there is likely to be result.

On his part, the General Manager of the State Water Corporation, Engr Nosa Okoh said that the State Government’s delay in meeting some of its commitment is due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the Okowa led administration is interested in providing portable water to Deltans.