Dearth Of Water Supply Infrastructure In Edo State, By Ogbeide Ifaluyi-isibor

 

The unavailability of potable water for Nigerians in Rural and Urban areas has got more catastrophic consequences than the insurgency that has ravaged Northeast Nigeria in the last few years.

 

While Boko Haram related attacks have reportedly claimed more than 17,000 lives in the last 6 years, the shortage of potable water and poor sanitation has led to about 73,000 deaths in Nigeria according to WaterAid, a London-based nonprofit organization..

 

Since independence till the early 90s Nigerians who reside in the major cities, towns and even some local communities, enjoy regular supply of clean and potable water. The water taps flowed almost ceaselessly and residents had enough water from the public water supply to meet their basic home needs.

 

Today,Using Edo State as a case study, the water taps, have become non existent for obvious cases of alleged corruption, mismanagement of states resources and public facilities like those of the Edo State Urban Water Board.

 

 The Water Board complex along Sapele road in Benin City have been converted to a different office for a different purpose. All her branches across the state have become moribund . Also the Ogba water works has long stopped functioning.

 

This development has consequently resulted to lack of supply of potable water to the tax paying members of the public, forcing them to rely more on privately-dug bore hole water.

 

This has however taken a catastrophic dimension as an estimated 1.5 million Edo people presently have no access to potable drinking water majorly in Rural areas just as a lot of urban dwellers can not afford to travel long distances and  pay for water from water vendors operating dams meant to serve the metropolis, with booster stations in Okhoro, Iyaro, Aduwawa, Esigie, Ugbowo and other areas are presently in a pathetic state.

 

Lack of Funding and abysmal disregard for the needs of the people has fuelled this anomaly as over 70% of Edo people who can't sink boreholes have no choice but to depend on water from water bodies around the state which are largely unhygienic and have resulted in Several deaths as a result of Diarrhoea which is the Second highest killer of Children below 5years.

 

The Edo State Urban Water Board whose responsibility of providing potable water to the Urban and Semi-Urban areas of the State, is however hampered by lack of adequate manpower, ageing equipment and poor maintenance. The Board has about sixty-three (63) pumping stations (including dams) spread across the State and the functionality of 63 stations is better assumed..

 

The required amount of water needed for the about 3.5 millions Edo citizens today hovers between 80-90 million gallons per day but sadly,the Edo State urban water board produces less than 10% of that daily requirement.

 

Going forward, the state Government must begin to fund the Edo State Urban water board so as to be able to provide the needed infrastructure to resuscitate the Dams and Pumping stations across the state to enable taxpayers benefit from purposeful governance which would help in the reduction of deaths among children and women due to the unavailability of potable water and by implication proper sanitation.

 

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