In his commitment to ameliorate the water scarcity in Lokoja metropolis, kogi state Government has begun the reactivation of all the existing water works in the state for regular water supply as from July 2024.
The commissioner for Water Resources, Engineer Yahaya M.D Farouk made the disclosure while fielding questions from Journalists over the weekend in Lokoja,.
He assured the residents, that despite the unfortunate incident of 2022 flooding that submerged the Greater Lokoja water works and damage major equipments, the government is working round the clock to restore the flow of water to the taps as soon as possible.
Engineer Farouk, stated that on assumption of office in February 2024, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had directed the ministry to ensure that the people of the state, especially Lokoja metropolis have clean water to drink.
He said , as a palliative measure, the ministry provided over 50 water tankers on a daily basis to supply water to households in Lokoja, to cushion the effect of the scarcity.
He said in line with the directives of the governor , the ministry also carried out maintenance works on old water works at Kpata area and reactivated water reservoirs and overheard tanks, which would enabled easy pumping of water from the old water works to the residents of Lokoja metropolis and it’s adjoining suburbs.
” The old water works at Kpata which is capable of pumping over 200 metric cubic liters of water per day , has been reactivated and reconnected to the two existing reservoirs which will serve the people in the metropolis and phase1 and 2 housing estates in the state capital”
He disclosed that, the Greater Lokoja water works which was constructed by the former Government of Alhaji Ibrahim idris, was affected by the 2022 flooding has rendered it inoperative since the unfortunate incident.
According to him, the hydraulic data obtained from National Inland Water Ways Authority using 1914 to 2010 baseline information for the design and construction, indicated that the present location was proper for the project.
He, however, lamented that the 2022 floods which submerged and damaged major equipments of the plant, saying the equipments were very expensive in nature and cannot be bought on the shelves, except through orders, which takes long duration.
The commissioner explained further that, the ministry has contacted some contractors, who gave the cost , as high as 120-150 billion naira, an amount too prohibitive for the state government to shoulder at this harsh economic situation in the country.
The commissioner who was flanked by his counterparts from Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, noted that the ministry was left with three options to put the plant in shape, either through outright relocation of the plant to high ground or to relocate the two major flood prone sections of the facility and to raise the equipments above the 2022 water mark.
He said, after due technical evaluation, none of the options would cost less than 70–90 billion naira.
He explained further, that the Lokoja, greater water plant with initial installed capacity of 10 million gallons of water per day and could run for 20 hrs has been expanded to 15million gallons per day before the unfortunate flood, saying the plant was conceived as work in progress.
He added that the flooding of the magnitude of the 2012 was not expected to occurred again before 50 years, but the effect of climate change brought in a heavier flood in 2022 after barely ten year.
He said in a bid to find solution to water problems in the metropolis, the state has taken delivery of new pumps of higher diameter to replace the old under ground pipes across the native areas of Lokoja, GRA , Adankolo and up to Phase 2 areas.
Yahaya explained that the turn around maintenance of the old water works will be completed by July ending.
He said the old water works will be fitted with fetching points for water tankers and members of the public to fetch water at no cost.
According to him, this is to ensure that residents continue to get water supply while the turn around maintenance of the two water works are going on simultaneously.
On how to source funds for the maintenance work, the commissioner stated that the state government has approached the Federal Government for assistance through the Federal Ministry Of Water and Natural Resources.
He promised to commence work on the moribund water assets across the state, adding that Okene water works is in good condition and has been supplying water to the residents and it’s environs.
According to him , the government may consider the public private partnership models as a financing options with in built mechanism that will prevent short-changing the people and the government.
He explained that , the ministry is in dialogue with Lower Niger and Lower Benue Development Authorities to rehabilitate Dams within the corridors so as to generate electricity and supply water to the state.
He commended the state Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for his immense assistance to the ministry in order to ensure that there is water for the people, and assured the people that the water scarcity would soon be a thing of the past.
Recall that residents of Lokoja, the state capital have been experiencing epileptic water supply since the 2022 flooding that ravaged #13bn Lokoja greater water works, which needs #120-150bn for reactivation
