The Federal Government has awarded a N986 Million contract for the construction of the Greater Oji River Water Project to supply water to every home in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu state.
This was made known by the Deputy President of the Senate and Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, during a projects inspection and campaign tour of Oji River LGA Tuesday.
Addressing his constituents, Senator Ekweremadu said he attracted the Water Project to help address the water needs of the people permanently, noting that it was regrettable that Oji River, which was the source of water for Enugu township had no portable water.
He explained that: “We have done many boreholes, but we believe that boreholes cannot solve the water challenge in Oji River. We, therefore, came up with a new project called Greater Oji River Water Project, which will provide water everywhere in Oji River and environ. The project has been designed and awarded; and we believe that the work will start very soon”.
Also inspecting the ongoing work at the multi-million naira Youth Development Centre at Achi, the Deputy Presdient of the Senate disclosed that he had already concluded plans with an Italian firm to run the facilities at the Centre and similar ones he attracted in Awgu, Aninri, Udi and Ezeagu LGAs.
The Senator, who was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Nwanneka Ekweremadu, government functionaries, and party stawarts, said he regarded the Youth Development Centre as his flagship project in Oji River LGA given the primary targets.
He said the project, which comprised multi-purpose halls, administrative block, hostels, and classroom blocks, was being constructed by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development as a pilot programme for training youths in productive ventures, noting that Enugu West was the only Senatorial District with such Centre in each local government.
“We are hoping that in the next two to three years, people will begin to see the benefit of what we are doing here; we are going to work together to ensure that fund is voted in the 2015 Budget so that whoever is coming to take over the projects will not need to put in any money, but run it to the beneficit of our people”, he added.
Other projects inspected by Ekweremadu were the Umuchibu–Egwu Achi Erosion Control Project and Isikwe Girls Secondary School erosion control project before stopping at the different rally venues at Ugwuoba, Achi, Inyi and Akpugoeze to address the people.
He, however, emphasised that the future of the many ongoing and planned development projects could only be gauranteed if President Jonathan, the PDP governorship candidate for Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and other candidates of the party were elected in the forthcoming general elections.
Comments