By Emmanuel Enebeli
KWALE/Nigeria: Clean water is the lifeblood of any community, it sustains health, supports livelihoods, and underpins economic growth. When it is absent, the consequences are devastating, waterborne diseases spread, agricultural productivity declines, and the very fabric of community life begins to unravel. In many Ndokwa communities today, that danger is a daily reality as residents still rely on streams and rivers for drinking water in 2025.
In a decisive move to address this crisis, the Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) has launched its “Water is Life” initiative. The programme will deliver boreholes across Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani Local Government Areas in partnership with local governments, lawmakers, council chairmen, and relevant state ministries.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, some of our people still drink from streams and rivers. We will push for the execution of this project before the end of the year,” declared NNU President General, Comrade Amechi Asuguni, at a press briefing in Kwale after a high-level meeting on behalf of the Ndokwa people.
The NNU stressed that safe water is not just a health necessity but a driver of social and economic stability. With boreholes in place, rural dwellers will be spared from trekking long distances to fetch unsafe water, communities will see reduced outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, and women and children, often the primary water carriers — will have more time for education and income-generating activities.
Beyond water, the union used the platform to demand urgent attention to what it called “longstanding welfare, infrastructure, and economic justice issues” in Ndokwa Nation. Chief among these is a push for the immediate review of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) law. Enacted over two decades ago when Ndokwa hosted only one oil company, the law still allocates the region just 9% of benefits despite the number of operating oil firms rising to eight.
“This is an aberration and a direct cheat on our people,” Asuguni said, appealing to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to support a bill amending the law to reflect Ndokwa’s actual oil production. “The DESOPADEC law was made to compensate oil-producing communities. It is about justice for our people.”
The NNU also renewed its call for improved electricity access, condemning the irony of Ndokwa hosting the Independent Power Plant (IPP) that generates over 800 megawatts for the national grid while most local communities remain in darkness. They recalled that Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme had promised reconnection within a month — a deadline that has now passed.
While appreciating the recent reconnection of Ogume Kingdom, the NNU insisted that power supply must be extended to Utagbe-Ogbe, Ashaka, and other areas, warning that prolonged neglect could trigger protests. The union urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry of Power to ensure a local step-down from the IPP, arguing that much of the generated power is underutilized and could easily meet Ndokwa’s needs.
“Light Up Ndokwa is not theory,” the union declared. “We are referring to actual darkness in our communities. The power being generated is more than sufficient to accommodate Ndokwa Nation.”
With the launch of “Water is Life” and its broader demands for fair treatment, the NNU is making it clear that essential infrastructure, from safe drinking water to electricity, is not a privilege but a right that must be delivered to every Ndokwa community.
