Agrieved contractor shuts Otukpo water works

Daily Trust investigation reveals that the contractor, CGC, handling the Otukpo Water Works completed the project last year at the cost of N2.6billion but was yet to be fully paid its maintenance fee by the state government.Although, the state government has assured residents that the situation would not thrive for long, it has lasted over […]

Daily Trust investigation reveals that the contractor, CGC, handling the Otukpo Water Works completed the project last year at the cost of N2.6billion but was yet to be fully paid its maintenance fee by the state government.
Although, the state government has assured residents that the situation would not thrive for long, it has lasted over three months and the people are still forced to drink water from wells, streams and dirty ponds.
The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Conrad Wergba, told our correspondent yesterday on telephone that the issues partaining to the plant closure would be resolved in the next one week.
“Discussion on the reopening of the Otobi water works is in progress. Though there had been some delay but before the end of this week, the issues would be finally resolved,” he said.
He earlier attributed government’s inability to pay the contractor’s money to the dwindling allocation accruing to the state from the federation account, promising that the problem would be tackled soonest for the people to enjoy free flow of portable water in the area again.
Immediate past commissioner for water resources in the state, John Ngbede recently explained to Daily Trust that the newly built water plant by the present administration at the cost of N2.6 billion was intended to provide portable water supply to Otukpo town and its environs.
He maintained that the government was not actually owing the contractor for the construction of the plant but that the shutdown of the water source was linked to a maintenance agreement entered with the Chinese firm which required the state government to effect some payment.
Ngbede added that government was working towards reopening the plant soon for the people to access safe, good drinking water.