By Steve Oni, Ilorin.
The Kwara state government is leaving no stone unturned to bring to an end the perennial water shortage across the state. As part of efforts to tackle the nagging problem, particularly in Ilorin metropolis, the state government had so far spent over N6.5 billion between 2009 and 2018 on water reticulation scheme.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin at the weekend alongside the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Abdulkadir Yusuf and some other aides of the governor, a Consultant to the state government on the water rehabilitation project, Professor Sulaiman Adeyemi, said that the sum of N1.9 billion was also captured in the 2018 budget to be spent on tertiary water reticulation in some parts of the state to ensure regular supply of potable water.
Professor Adeyemi said that water challenge had lingered for so long in the metropolis because of the need to provide adequate water production, renewal of water distribution network, increase storage capacity, restoration of old pipes, and provision of adequate water treatment plant.
The water expert, who said that the state government, since 2003, had been able to double water treatment capacity in the metropolis, added that water connection to communities, particularly in the Ilorin metropolis, would be commissioned in September.
Professor Adeyemi, who explained that water provision project is in primary, secondary and tertiary stages, added that homes would have opportunity to connect to state water corporation pipes after completion of the tertiary water reticulation scheme.
He, however, said that the state government would still need to carry out a lot of investment in water project in the near future with daily expansion of the Ilorin metropolis and other parts of the state with attendant increased population.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Water Resources said the administration of Dr. Bukola Saraki expended about N3.7 billion on water scheme in the state, adding that the present administration had spent over N2.4 billion on the scheme while about N858million was spent through infrastructural fund programme of the state government.
The Commissioner, who urged residents of the state to be prepared to pay a token to get regular provision of potable water in their homes, said that dirty water may be cheap, but added that potable water cannot be free and cheaper than that obtainable from water vendor.
Leave a Reply