Anambra Commissioner for Power and water resources Engineer Julius Chukwuemeka says plans have started to revive five major water schemes next year.
Engineer Chukwuemeka who appeared along-side members of his ministry during the 2024 budget defense/bilateral discussion presided by Anambra assembly committee on Finance and Appropration chaired by Hon. Ejike Okechukwu and committee on power and water resources chaired by Hon. Chimezie Ikwunne, said over seventy percent of the scheme is not working duo to lack of electricity and non-involvement of the community.
According to the commissioner, “the water supply to the site we visited are mainly powered by diesel which makes it difficult and expensive. This will be solved through massive conversion of those scheme to solar.
” We have a major agenda for water next year (2024). The five major urban water scheme will kickstart and ndi Anambra will soon start getting water from the taps in the citys of Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and Otoucha.
” No communittee will be left behind because we will also give attention to simi-urban areas like Obosi, Umueze, Agulu and others.
” We have had an inventry and discovered that over seventy percent of the water facilities are not functional because of electricity and non-involvement of the community”.
Speaking on electricity, Engineer Chukwuemeka said next year, the ministry is planning to reach out to as many communities as possible who are still in the dark.
” In the power sector reform, we will set up Anambra state electricity market with other regulatory legal frame work that will enable private sectors to come and generate and transmit power in the state.
“We have a disruptive change through the conversion of street lights inherited, which was running in diesel but was converted to solar.
” About twenty five thousand street lights have been converted. By next year (2024), we will sustain the momentum through mounting new once.
“We will be collaborating with the ministry of local government and chieftency in other to ensure that the issue of street light gets across to unreached parts of Anambra state.
” In line with the agenda of Governor Chukwuma Soludo of ensuring that we have a very clearn environment, we will be converting the power sources of most of the rural citys to solar so that those in the village will not have to get diesel before the have asses to power supply.
“The Private Public Community Partnership (PPCP) Model was signed with the people of Neni because of their proven track record in terms of community development” Chukwuemeka revealed
The Managing Director Anambra Water Resources Management Agency, Hon. Ike Ejieofor in an interview said the present administration is very intentional about reviving the water schemes.
“From the budget, the Governor made provisions to rehabilitate the scheme at Onitsha, Obizi, Otuocha, Awka, Nnewi and others.
“The Exco has approved the rehabilitation of rural components which is on-going. We will ensure that it is sustainable.
“We are intentional about resolving the long disputes between Anambra state government and staff of the old water cooperation. A committee has been set-up to verify the staff that are still there, those that have retired and those willing to come back”. Ejieofor submitted
Engineer Julius Chukwuemeka in an interview maintained that the ministry will intensify efforts in extending power to unserved communities in Anambra state.
” We are laying foundation for private sectors to come and do business in the power sector in terns of generation, transmission, distribution.
“Street lightning projects is on-going and about twenty five thousand have been converted to solar and we have done some new once (over five hundrend) in Okpoko and will still do more in other areas of Anambra state.
Speaking on uninstalled transformers in various communities, the commissioner those that have not installed their transformers should do so or return it to government so that those who need it will make use of it”. The commissioner advised.
