Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti has flagged off the first phase of the resuscitation of the long-abandoned Aba Urban Water Scheme, with a vow to ensuring access to potable water across the State.
The Aba Regional Water Scheme, located at St. Joseph’s College (Christ the King Cathedral), which will serve as a pilot for the rehabilitation of other facilities, including the Ogbo Hill and Ariaria water schemes.
Speaking during the ceremony on Wednesday in Aba, Governor Otti reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring safe water for every household in Abia, describing access to water as an inalienable right essential to human survival, hygiene, education, and economic productivity.
“Life is threatened when water supply is either inadequate or compromised,” the Governor declared.
He explained that the project is part of the Abia Integrated WASH Accelerated Programme (AIWAP), which aims to ensure that every household is within a two to three-minute walk from a public water standpipe.
According to Governor Otti, AIWAP is not just about water, but also about “improving health, supporting education, enhancing emergency services, and driving economic growth”.
The Governor noted that the initiative would help eliminate open defecation and environmental pollution, as all WASH facilities under the programme would be powered by renewable energy.
He also disclosed that the State encountered funding setbacks earlier in the year due to sudden shifts in international development aid but was able to find local solutions to continue financing the project.
Governor Otti announced that a newly acquired high-capacity water drilling rig would be deployed to more communities before the end of the year to address acute water shortages.
The Governor while commending the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, and his team for their dedication, assured that measures would be put in place to enhance the security of all public utilities.
He further urged residents to pay their taxes, protect government infrastructure, and report acts of vandalism.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday described the initiative as bold and transformative, noting that many communities still experience severe water scarcity, with children forced to walk long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources.
“This is more than an infrastructure problem. It is a crisis of dignity, human development, and equity”, he said.
Mr Monday stated that the scheme, located at Christ the King Cathedral, Aba, once had a production capacity of over one million cubic metres daily but had become largely non-functional due to ageing infrastructure and lack of maintenance.
He expressed gratitude to the Otti ked administration for prioritising access to potable water, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, and acknowledged the support of UNICEF, the European Union, the World Bank, and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.
According to the Commissioner, the project integrates water, sanitation, hygiene, renewable energy, health, education, climate resilience, and economic development.
He emphasised the importance of sustainability and community ownership in ensuring the long-term success of the initiative, noting that local systems were being strengthened through policy reforms, monitoring, and capacity building.
In an interview with Newsmen, some Aba residents including Mrs Chinyere Onyeukwu and Mrs Joy Ubakala, expressed deep appreciation for the governor’s commitment to restoring public water supply.
They described the launch as historic, noting that water had not flowed in the area for over 20 years and praised Governor Otti’s consistency and leadership, praying that detractors would not derail his vision.
