Description

The EU-NDSP water and sanitation component 3 in five Niger Delta states:
1. Akwa-ibom
2. Bayelsa
3. Delta
4. Edo and
5. Rivers.
Six small towns were selected in two Local Government Areas in Rivers State: Abissa, Abonnema, Kula town in Akuku-Toru LGA and Opobo, Kalaibiama, Nkoro town in Opobo/Nkoro LGA in Rivers State.

This project is aimed at providing portable water for selected six towns in Rivers State, and funding system is between EU providing 70%, the state to provide 30% fund and small towns providing 5% fund contribution (for operation and maintainance).

Eu and the selected small towns have made their 70% and 5% fund available, but the Rivers State Government have not. Documents and findings reveal that the State Governor, His Excellency Chief Barr Nyesom Wike has actually approved the payment for the State counterpart funding #200,000,000.00, two hundred million naira but the money has not been released to state working group account which is being supervised by the state ministry of water resources and rural development, even after series of deadline postponement by EU to accommodate the state.

Regrettably, EU-NDSP team is coming to the state on the 10th of November, and the poor citizens in the small towns who contributed their mega 5% fund are worried and regretting that EU is coming to delist Rivers State from the project.

The people of the aforementioned small towns and the Federation of Akuku-Toru/Opobo-Nkoro Water Consumers Association are therefore requesting that the state Governor who graciously approved the payment of this counterpart fund also ensures it is release before the date for EU arrival to eschew cancellation of the project.