A group under the auspices of Federation of Akuku-Toru and Opobo/Nkoro Water Consumers’ Association (ATONWCA) has applauded the Rivers State Government for swiftly mandating the payment of its N100million counterpart fund for the €2.4million (about N963, 048,000) European Union water and sanitation projects in Rivers State.
The group made the commendation shortly after confirming the mandate of the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to the state Ministry of Finance to release the fund to the Federal Ministry of Finance’s EU/NDSP account just before the July 18, 2017, deadline.
The association said that the governor’s intervention has reassured the people of his determination to address the development needs of the people of the state, adding that launch of the projects, last Wednesday, was an indication that the people of the state will soon begin to enjoy the benefits of the EU support to the state.
It would be recalled that last Friday, the group had addressed a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Port Harcourt, during which it drew attention of the state government to the impending deadline of July 18.
It had appealed to the government to release the balance of N100million already approved by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike since May this year, into the European Union (EU)/Niger Delta Support Programme’s (NDSP) account without further delay.
The Chairman, Joint Federation of Akuku-Toru and Opobo/Nkoro Water Consumers Association (WCA), Senibo Iwarimie Hezekiah Diri, said the clarion call was necessitated by the urgent ultimatum issued by the EU/Rivers State Project Launch and Publication in Abuja, to delist Rivers State from the beneficiaries’ list, if the balance of N100million was not paid into the EU/NDSP account on or before July 18, 2017.
Diri expressed worry that the initial release of N100million by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for the project would be a waste, if the balance was not paid before the deadline.
“We are appealing to our dynamic Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to intervene and direct those hampering the release of the money he has approved to immediately credit the account of this project, before the expiration date of Tuesday, July 18, 2017, to avoid the people of the state losing from this laudable project,” Diri had added.
In his remarks, Secretary, Joint Federation of WCA, Christopher Fiberesima, had said that the passionate appeal was necessary to ensure that Rivers people benefited from the huge investment in water and sanitation projects, with their multiplier economic and social impacts on the people.
Fiberesima, who is also the chairman, Kula chapter of the association, stressed that the two affected LGAs would now have access to good sources of drinking water, employment and economic empowerment opportunities.
“We know that our various communities such Opobo, Kalaibiama, and Nkoro all in Opobo/Nkoro LGA and Abonnema, Kula and Abisa in Akuku-Toru LGA desperately need these water projects,” Diri noted.
Also speaking, the Secretary, Opobo/Nkoro WCA, Mr Fubara Victor Alali noted that the Rivers State Water and Sanitation project has enormous potentials for touching the lives of the people of the state positively.
Alali added that the issue of insecurity in the state would have been reduced to the barest minimum if the project eventually took off through employment generation and economic empowerment of the people.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State Government and the 23 LGAs were expected to contribute 25 per cent counterpart funds, amounting to N200million, with the affected communities contributing 5 per cent of the total cost of the project, just as the European Union (EU) is contributing 70 per cent, totalling €2.4million (about N963million).

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana