Residents boil over water scarcity as public taps go dry in Abakaliki

By Obike Ukoh

Ebonyi State Governor Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, listed supply of potable water as key component of his People’s Charter of Needs. This aligns with the old adage, Water is Life. It is evergreen relevance, but in Ebonyi State, water is more than that as public outrage is growing.

In fact, sustained and constant supply of potable water to Ebonyi State residents immediately after the creation of the state on Oct. 1, 1996, saved the nation from embarrassing health challenge: The guinea worm scourge.

As a result of great deficit in potable water supply, guinea worm was endemic, especially in the Abakaliki bloc of the State.

On guinea worm endemicity, Prof. Ekanem Braide, then Zonal Facilitator, Nigeria Guinea worm Eradication Programme (NIGEP), said in February 2000: “As we close our books for 1996, the current status of guinea worm in Ebonyi State is that Ebonyi accounts for 3,370 of the 4,684 cases reported in South-East zone in 1996.

“This is equivalent to the number of cases reported in India, Cameroon, Yemen, Chad, Mauritania and Benin Republic put together, and about the number of cases Burkina Faso reported in 1996.’’

She said, based on the projected case reduction, Ebonyi State may carry guinea worm disease into the 21st century.

She, however, said that the state may be guinea worm-free by 1999, if there was sustained water supply.

The projection, according to Braide “assumed that everyone in Ebonyi State will drink only safe water during 1999 transmission session.”

About 3,000 people were infested with full-blown guinea worm infection when Gov. Sam Egwu assumed office on May 29, 1999.

To check the spread, government identified 1,273 ponds for treatment, while 873 were treated. Government also stepped up health services, implemented in 451 endemic villages.

Nigeria did not record any case of guinea worm since 2008, but the country had to wait for the mandatory period of six years of zero case, before being certified guinea worm-free.

The certification, unarguably, was as a result of sustained water policies by Ebonyi State, the most endemic guinea worm area in the world.

Without doubt, massive investments in potable water supply by Ebonyi State Government made it possible for Nigeria to exit the club of guinea worm-endemic countries.

The Ezillo Regional Water Scheme built during the tenure of Gov. Jim Nwobodo of old Anambra State, from August 1979 to 1983, serviced Abakaliki and its environs.

The government also established the
Ebonyi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (EBRUWASSA), to tackle potable rural water challenge, as guinea worm was more endemic in the rural communities.

It was indeed these two prong approach, and commitment that led to Ebonyi State becoming guinea worm free, in addition to reduction of cases of water borne diseases.

Unarguably, the military administrations showed more than special interest in the supply of potable water to Ebonyi State residents.
That interest was carried further afield by the administration of the first civilian Governor Sam Egwu and his successor Chief Martin Elechi.

Late Engr Uduma Eze, the pioneer General Manager of Ebonyi Water Corporation, extended the frontiers of water supply in Abakaliki and its environs.

Eze’s successor sustained water supply within Abakaliki and its environs. Supply of potable water within Abakaliki and its environs peaked during the tenure of Engr Paul Okorie, who served as the General Manager of Ebonyi Water Corporation, from March 2000 to October 18, 2005.

But during the 8-year tenure of Governor Dave Umahi, potable water supply nose-dived, though there was no resurgence of guinea worm, and there cannot be any, as the disease has been completely eradicated.

But potable water was then scarce.
The Umahi’s administration, even scrapped the Water Corporation, and merged it with the Ministry of Water Resources. On that people jokingly say, “We needed water, but Umahi gave us flyovers.’’

But recently, some areas of Abakaliki the state capital started enjoying potable water supply, though not on daily basis.

The development was as a result of rehabilitation carried out at the Ezillo Water Scheme, that serves some parts of Abakaliki.

Under Governor Ogbonnaya Nwifuru’s “People’s Charter of Needs,’’ supply of potable water was accorded a priority.
Mrs. Angela Nduka, then Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Water Resources, who spoke on the supply of potable water to some areas in Abakaliki, said that the ministry was doing everything possible to reactivate all the water schemes in the State.

Ebonyi State has five water schemes, viz: Ezillo , Oferekpe, Old Abakaliki, Ukawu, and Ishiagu .

Nduka said that for now, water is being supplied to some areas in Abakaliki from the Ezillo Water Scheme, adding that the 40,000 cubic metres reservoir at Umuoghara is now functional.

She said that rehabilitation work on the Old Abakaliki Regional Water Scheme was almost completed.

“You know that we have water schemes scattered in Ebonyi; the Ezillo, Oferekpe and Old Abakaliki water schemes, among others.

“But, for now, it is the Ezillo Water Scheme that we are delivering water to the public, hence not all parts of the capital city is getting supplies.

“The Oferekpe Water Scheme will soon be ready with the rehabilitation work going on there”.

“In the Old Abakaliki Water Scheme, reconstruction work is equally going on and will soon be completed,” Nduka said.

But the potable water supply which some areas within Abakaliki metropolis enjoyed from early 2025 till about November has stopped.

When the water supply commenced in that 2025, there were a lot of burst pipes as a result of about eight none usage.

The government was forced to stop supply of potable water to some areas to allow for the replacement of the pipes.

But water was still available for at least twice weekly in the areas that had no problem.
But for now, no supply of water from public water sources to any part of Abakaliki.

Those who spoke in an interview, appealed to the governor, to do everything within his powers, to ensure that the Ministry of Water Resources, once again commence pumping of water from the Ezillo Water Scheme.

They say that, daily budget for sachet water is too expensive, as water from boreholes in Abakaliki, is not very good for drinking because of salinity.

Also a result of the long dry season, many wells have dried up, while buying water from vendors is also very expensive.

A retired federal civil servant, Timothy Ukomadu, who spoke said he spends about N500 daily on pure water.

“We are five in the house, and now ration pure water. N500 daily translates to about N15,000, only on sachet water.

“When the taps were running, I spend about N1,000 to transport three containers of water (75 litres), and we drink the water for more than a week.

“We appeal to Governor Nwifuru to compel the Ministry of Water Resources to resume the supply of potable water to the public.’’

Ukomadu stressed that for it to be sustainable, people shout pay for services rendered by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Some of the students at the Presco Campus, of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, that hitherto sourced their potable water from the public taps, when it was functional also appealed to the government to do something urgently to restore supply.

The students that spoke on the condition of anonymity, stressed that buying sachet water daily is financially burdensome.

Engr. Paul Okorie, the former General Manager of Ebonyi Water Corporation, had in his previous comments, stressed the need for sustained investments in the water sector.

He noted that supply of potable water was weakened by the scrapping of Ebonyi Water Corporation by the then Governor Dave Umahi administration.

Okorie noted that merging Ebonyi Water Corporation with the ministry was not the best decision.

“Water corporation is the engine room of water supply. If you merge it with the ministry, how can it perform?” he wondered.

Okorie also said government showed commitment during his tenure to sustain potable water supply: “Money was regularly released for the purchase of chemicals. At a point, N100 million was released for the purchase of chemicals. That chemical lasted two to three years.”

Okorie explained that the Ezilllo Regional Water Scheme was functional throughout his tenure.

He added that the 40 million litres-capacity water reservoir located along the Abakaliki-Enugu expressway was in good shape during his tenure.

“Water was regularly pumped from the Ezillo Regional Water Scheme to the reservoir; water supply was regular in Abakaliki.

At a time, almost all parts of Abakaliki enjoyed regular water supply, water supply was even extended to the Army Barracks in Nkwegu,’’ Okorie added.

He said the way out was to show commitment by investing in the water sector. He stressed that the Oferekpe Regional Water Scheme, which has capacity to supply potable water to eight local government areas, constructed by the Elechi administration, should be made functional once again.

Water was supplied to some parts of the state from the Eferekpe Water Scheme in 2007, shortly before Elechi left office on May 29, 2007.

He said the Ezillo Regional Water Scheme needed rehabilitation and, if that is done, the potable water scarcity in Abakaliki and its environs would be greatly reduced.

Stakeholders want Governor Nwifuru to deepen his interest in the supply of potable water to Ebonyi people by providing all that is required to the Ministry of Water Resources to enable it perform.

Obike Ukoh, ex-Deputy Editor-In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).