Niger Delta
‘Customers’ N1.2bn Debt Crippling C’River Water Board’
Managing Director, Cross River State Water Board, Mr Victor Ekpo, says that N1.2 billion debt being owed the utility company by customers have affected its service delivery to the people.
Ekpo, who stated this while addressing newsmen in Calabar yesterday, also spoke on a wide range of issues affecting the water corporation and his plans to resuscitate the organisation.
Noting that the debt covered between January 2020 and March 2021, he said it had made it impossible to replace broken down pipes, fix the generating sets and buy chemicals for water treatment.
The Managing Director, however, expressed regrets that prominent citizens of the State, particularly politicians, formed the major people that were indebted to the board.
He stressed that since the debtors refused to pay in spite of several persuasive means, the corporation would adopt the option of publishing their names to compel them to pay.
Ekpo, who advocated for the outright privatisation of the board, said its revenue profile plummeted from about N50 million in 2007 to less than N1 million at the time he took over in January 2020.
“My first discovery here is the corruption in the board. Some of the staff turned the place to money-making ventures for themselves.
“While some of them created a means of collecting revenue to their personal account, others engaged in vandalism of key components of the board’s generating sets and stealing pipes.
“Infact, many of the staff attitude to work was not something that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the board to service delivery.
“Or how do you explain a situation where a staff procured her own PoS and started collecting and channelling revenue of the board to her personal account? asked Ekpo.
He, however, noted that in spite of the challenges he inherited, he had been able to raise the revenue to N9 million.
“I was able to achieve this from a near comatose state I met the water board.
“More can be achieved if we get the cooperation of our customers and staff who have resorted to vandalism of facilities of the board and some of our customers who bypass our meters.
“We also have challenges of huge electricity bill that amount to about N12 million monthly and the over N180 million electricity debt I inherited,” he said.
While noting that privatisation remained the best option for the Cross River Water Board, Ekpo assured that strategy had been made to ensure better service delivery to the people.
According to him, “We are surely going to come out stronger in the next few weeks. All, but one, of our nine stations, will start pumping water to the people.”
He said his target was to raise the revenue of the board to the level where it would start paying the N29 million of the staff monthly wage bill.
“I understand more people have resorted to sinking boreholes in their homes, but our water still remains the best. It is well teated for their safety,” he said.
The Head of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba, has charged the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (NAOMEW) World Wide, to be committed to professionalism, patriotism and effective service delivery in the discharge of their duties and rendering of patriotic gestures.
Mrs Gbaraba gave the charge yesterday when the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter paid her a courtesy call in her office in Port Harcourt.
She expressed deep appreciation for the visit, and assured the Association of her commitment to being a worthy Ogoni Ambassador like late Mr Augustine Nwikinaka, former General Manager of the corporation, to promote the fortunes of the corporation, while counting on their unflinching encouragement, prayers and support to succeed.
“ I am very happy to receive the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (The Tide Chapter) today in my office. I am glad you people came to my office, for those that know me in a short while in the corporation, I am a serious-minded person. I heard that the time the corporation was functioning well was under the leadership of late Austin Nwikinaka. Any where I go to, I will rather come down and show working example and that is what the Ogoni person is known for. So I am always proud to associate myself with an Ogoni man, so your support means so much to me,” Mrs Gbaraba said.
She assured them of running an open-door policy in the management of the corporation, and urged stronger partnership between NAOMEW, other unions, interest groups, corporate organisations, institutions and the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in professional service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter, the National Secretary of the association, Comrade Taneh Beemene welcomed her into The Tide family and also congratulated her on her very important appointment.
Taneh, who expressed confidence in her experience and abilities to deliver on her assignments, thanked her for the uncommon feats recorded in the corporation within her brief leadership. He said the corporation has been revived from its comatose status that predated her appointment.
“ Within your short time, you have given the corporation a remarkable facelift. We pray that God should give you the enablement to restore the dignity of the corporation. We have come to inform you that we are solidly behind you and will make our untiring contributions to make you succeed, “ he stated.
In his vote of thanks and closing remarks, the Chairman, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Production Workers (NUPPPPROW), Comrade Keyirale Donatus Nwiueh thanked the Head of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba for receiving the association in a warm manner, adding that she should count on the support of the association to succeed.
Kiadum Edookor
Niger Delta
OBALGA Sole Administrator Presents Brand New Fire Extinguishers To Council …Commiserates With Traders Over Rumuomasi Market Fire Incident …Commences Desilting Of Drainages
The Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has presented 150 brand new fire extinguishers to the council.
Dr Walter who spoke to newsmen at the council premises at Rumuodumanya said the gesture was part of measures by his administration to ensure safety of lives and council property from unforeseen fire incidents.
He urged the staff of the council to ensure the safety of the extinguishers, while promising to engage experts to teach them how to handle and operate the extinguishers.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator of Obio Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has commiserated with traders at the Rumuomasi Market over the unfortunate fire incident that gutted parts of the market.
Dr Walter who visited the market to assess the level of damage caused by the fire, described it as unfortunate
Addressing the crowd of distressed traders and community members, Dr. Walter acknowledged the historical significance of the market, which was originally built under the administration of the former Obio/Akpor Chairman and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON.
He noted that preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though a full investigation is still underway.
“As a local government, we will constitute a thorough investigation team to determine the root cause of the fire,
“Most importantly, we thank God that no lives were lost. I want to assure our traders that the Local Government will not abandon you.
“We will also work with security operatives to safeguard salvaged goods and prevent further losses,” he said.
He encouraged traders to adopt stricter safety measures, especially concerning electrical appliances in markets prone to fire hazards.
“There are many ways fires can ignite, even without an open flame. Let us all be vigilant and prioritise safety,” he cautioned.
Dr. Walter also commended those who stepped in to assist during the emergency.
“We are grateful to all who helped salvage goods and support affected persons during the crisis. Your kindness embodies the spirit of Obio/Akpor. The forthcoming investigation will help us put preventive structures in place,” he said.
The Chairman of the market, Mr. Prince Adele, who accompanied Dr. Walter, during the inspection, identified K-Lane as the most severely affected area.
A statement by the information officer to the council, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said no incident of death was reported by the traders during the visit.
In another development, the Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor local government council, Sir Clifford Ndu Walter, has commenced a comprehensive canal clearance campaign with a view to identifying and removal of all blockages including illegal structures hindering the free flow of waters in the area.
A statement from the council Press Secretary, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said during the inspection of key canals in the area, several unauthorised barricades and blockages were discovered and removed.
According to the statement, Dr Walter emphasised that illegal dumping, unapproved structures and poor drainage habits endanger communities and undermine government efforts, adding that his administration is committed to protecting lives and property of the citizens.
It said the Sole Administrator also declared his readiness to ensure that all canals and drainages are cleaned, maintained and functioning effectively.
He also warned against further dumping of waste in waterways, citing impending flooding.