Shun Shoddy Jobs So As To Avoid Being Blacklisted, Delta Commissioner Warns Contractors Handling Public Water Schemes

ASABA/Nigeria: The need for contractors handling public water schemes in the state to shun shoddy jobs so as to avoid being blacklisted has been emphasized.

The State Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Sir Fidelis Tilije gave the charge in Emu-Unor community in Ndokwa West Local Government Area when he led the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr (Mrs) Felicia Adun and other staff of his Ministry on monitoring visit to the water scheme at Emu- Unor.

Sir Tilije, who noted that the Okowa administration in collaboration with the European Union had spent so much money towards providing sustainable water supply in the state, said that the government and the people of the state should have value for the huge investment in the sector.

He said that the visit was to ascertain the extent of work done so far by the contractor, adding that the State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa was passionate about the functionality of the water infrastructure in the state.

While expressing satisfaction that the infrastructure was already in use by the community, the Commissioner directed the contractor to expedite action in fixing some few cases of leakages emanating from the flowing pipes in order to avoid water wastage.

Sir Tilije enjoined the beneficiaries to always protect the facilities and guide against destruction of the taps, adding that they should ensure consistent maintenance so to guarantee their continued existence.

Earlier, the Chairman of Emu-Unor Water Consumer Association, Mr Francis Anigabor thanked the state government for the payment of its counterpart contribution for the water scheme, adding that with the availability of water, their people no longer depend on water from the stream.

Speaking in an interview, a water and sanitation expert, Engr Ikisola Olatunde Obafemi, who is the Supervisory Engineer for the water scheme, highlighted his terms of reference to include provision of water facilities, waterworks, capacity building for government’s officials and the benefitting communities, stressing that the communities had been trained.

Engr Ikisola, who posited that the water scheme would serve as a source of income generation for the community, stated that the contractor had constructed boreholes in the communities, building of towers and elevated tanks for water storage, rehabilitation of old waterworks and  the provision of eleven boreholes among others