Officials of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Nesrea), during the visit of Nigerian Electricity Regulatary Commission’s buss to Nesrea’s office in Abuja, recently.
The Rivers State Govern
ment and the European Union (EU) are to spend the sum of N700 million in the provision of water to six communities in two local government areas of Rivers State.
The programme which is under the European Union Niger Delta Support Programme (EU-NDSP) will cover Opobo, Nkoro and Kalaibiama in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area as well as Abonnema, Abissa and Kula in the Akuku Toru Local Government Area.
A breakdown of the amount indicates that, the Rivers State Government will pay 30% which amounts to over N200 million while the European Union will bring the balance of N500 million which is about 70%.
The Tide also leant that the benefitting communities will pay 5% cost of maintaining the water facilities.
The Project Director, European Union/Niger Delta support programme Engr. Amatemeso O. Emmanuel told The Tide in an exclusive interview in his office in Port Harcourt, that the communities were chosen based on “self selection process.”
Engr. Emmanuel also said that the work plan for the project has been concluded, stressing that once funds are made available, the contract will be awarded through an open and competitive bidding process.
He also said that, Water Consumer Association has been set up in all of the benefiting communities and charged with the task of maintaining the facilities, adding that numerous workshops and seminars have been held both in Port Harcourt and the respective Local Government Areas.
Engr. Emmanuel further told The Tide that the proposed project was an indication that government needs the collaboration of communities in project executions in their domain and added that the days when communities waited for government to do everything are gone.
He commended the Rivers State Government for approving its counterpart fund of N200 million for the project, adding that both the communities and the steering committee are leaving no stone unturned to ensure its success, as that will attract more support from donor agencies for its expansion to more local government areas.
The Director said that the EU-NDSP is an interventionist programme by the European Union to mitigate conflicts arising from unavailability of basic amenities, such as water in the Niger Delta.
The programme commenced in 2013 and will end in 2017. Other benefitting states include, Akwa-Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa.
John Bibor/Patricia Karibo