GPHCDA Awards N709.5m Water Supply Contract

As part of measures to avoid indiscriminate sinking of private water boreholes in the Greater Port Harcourt City, the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA), has awarded contract for the construction on Temporary Water Supply Scheme for phase 1A of the new city at the cost of N709.4 million.

Handing over the site for the project to the contractor Paterson Candy International (PC1) at Omagwa yesterday, the Administrator, GPCDA, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam explained that the temporary water scheme was necessitated by the need to provide potable water to strategic institutions located in the area.

She enumerated the benefiting institutions to include the new sports precinct, hospital, new Rivers State University of Science and Technology and, projected 2,500 housing units among other private homes located in the area.

According to Cookey- Gam, the permanent site for water scheme that will service the area would be located some 12 kilometres away and may be cumbersome to embark upon in the short run.

“The fact that we called it temporary does not mean that it will last for a year or two. Certainly it will last for at least five years”, she stated.

In his response, the Project Manager, PCI Engr. John Bredahl assured that his company had successfully executed bigger water schemes in Kano and some other African countries and therefore was confident to deliver the project within the 12 month deadline.

The GCPDA is to make 15% advance payment prior to the commencement of the project.

Desmond Osueke