By Umar Muhammad Puma
The House of Representatives have urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to source the sum of N250 million for the “immediate” completion, commissioning and utilisation of the Edo Water Project.
The resolution of the House was reached sequel to a motion moved by Rep Friday Etulah (PDP Edo), who noted that the project when completed would alleviate the long sufferings of the people of Esan north east/ south east federal constituency of Edo state.
He informed the House that the water scheme was scheduled to be commissioned in 2012 by the Vice-President, but was aborted due to the protest for the insufficiency water reticulation in the community hosting the water in-take plan, which led the Federal Ministry of Water Resources appropriate in 2012, through Owena River Basin Development Authority for the reticulation to DADIM Integrated Concepts Limited for the sum of N170 million, but which the sum was never released.
He added that the non-release of the sum of N170 million by Owena River Basin Development Authority to DADIM for the reticulation, 130 million Naira for outstanding payment, compensation revitalization of equipment by the ministry to the main contractor (CGC), has hindered the commissioning of the project till date.
According to him, “It does not make economic or social sense to abandon a project for which the federal government has spent a whooping sum of N2.4 billion and has been on-going since 2005 and has led to a situation where the pipes are decaying while the people of Esan still suffer and are in dire need of pipe-borne water”, he said.
The lawmakers voted unanimously in support of the motion, which was referred by the deputy speaker to the water resources committee for further legislative inputs.
