Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has taken delivery of water equipment worth #1.4Billion for the ongoing rehabilitation work at Ero dam, a project which the governor said would provide potable water for 10 local government areas of the State.
The equipment which were delivered and inspected by the governor include nine units of High Lift pump, six units of Low Lift Pump and two units of Upwash pump. They are part of the contract for the rehabilitation of the dam funded by the State Government and the World Bank.
Speaking shortly after inspecting the equipment, Governor Fayemi said the vision of his administration was to ensure that the dam functions in its full capacity by supplying 1 million cubic litres of water daily to 10 of the 16 local government areas of the State.
The governor added that the project would be completed by June this year even as the rehabilitation work on Egbe dam which serves the remaining six local government areas of the State is near completion. He said the plan of the administration is to ensure that virtually all communities in Ekiti State will have access to potable water by the time the rehabilitation works on the two dams and Ureje waterworks are completed.
He disclosed that his visit to the dam was to ensure that the pumps acquired are in compliance with specifications.
“There are a lot of things that we are doing that we have to stay on top of monitoring for it to be delivered on time and on cost. I spoke about the rehabilitation of our dams among other things – Ero dam, Egbe dam, Ureje waterworks in Ado Ekiti. I did mention that we are expecting that these dams rehabilitation will be done, water will be flowing in most of our communities, the pipes works will be completed all in year 2020. By June this year, we expect this to have been completed. The last batch of equipment that we are expecting for this to become a reality came in yesterday.
These are the high lift water pumps and the low lift water pumps for Ero dam and that is what I came to inspect to ensure that, one they are here, they came as inspected because we sent a team to India to inspect these and ensure that they are in compliance with the specifications given”.
“In many of the communities, we have fetching points already. It is not that they have been dry for long but we have put temporary measures in place, they have been running but not in the manner we want them run. They are running in trickles. We feel that by the time all the pipe works are completed, virtually all our communities will get water.
“This dam serves 10 local governments. It is a million cubic litres on daily basis when running in full capacity. Egbe dam covers the other six local governments and the Akoko parts of Ondo State. That’s also being completed. The high lift pumps have also arrived and they are coupling it together to ensure they are working”, he said.
Dr Fayemi made some stop-over at Ikosu Ekiti and Ikun Ekiti to interact with community members who were fetching water at some water points.
During the interactions, the Governor asked if they had been getting regular water supply and the response was that supply had improved more than before.
He took note of some faulty points and called the attention of the State Water Corporation to them for quick fix.
Fayemi was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Commissioner for Public Utilities, Engr Bamidele Faparusi and the General Manager of the State Water Corporation, Engr Bisi Agbeyo.