Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Government has signed contracts for the rehabilitation and upgrading of 496 kilometres of pipeline to produce 330,000 cubic meters of potable water per to Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
The Managing Director of Port Harcourt Water Corporation, Chief Ibibia Walter, signed on behalf of the Rivers State Government while Chen Kangle for CGC Nigeria limited, Yang Gengqi for Top International Engineering Corporation and Iskandar Taslakian signed for Mothercat Limited, contractor handling the project.
Speaking at the contract ceremony, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the project would create 1,200 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs, and advised the contractors handling the projects not to compromise the agreed standard.
The governor urged the contractors to mobilise to site preparatory for the expected project flag-off on October 1, 2020 and warned that the state would not compromise the quality of work and timely delivery of contracts as he would be visiting the project sites to monitor progress and compliance with specification.
“I am requesting the African Development Bank (AfDB) that will finance the project to do so with 100 per cent cost of net of taxes.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presented huge challenges, as the accruable revenues both to Federal Statutory Allocation and Internally Generated Revenue has dropped.
“The Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development and the Managing Director of Port Harcourt Water Corporation should engage AfDB with the view to get the Bank to finance 100 per cent of the cost of the project net of taxes.
“I am aware that the loan closing date is April 2021. I am directing the commissioner and the managing director to submit application to the Federal Ministry of Finance and AfDB to extend the duration of the loan by two years to enable full implementation of all components of the urban water sector reform.
“They should further engage AfDB with a view of restoring the works at Trans-Amadi, Abuloma, Woji and Elelenwo regrettably cancelled by other Development Partners,” he stated.
Wike stated that he would not hesitate to fully implement the Port Harcourt Water Corporation (PHWC) restructuring and organisational build-out report when it is ready.
He pointed out that his administration has opened a new phase of commitment to reposition water supply services across the state, adding that through the project thousands of Rivers people would be engaged directly and indirectly throughout the life span of the project.
The Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, said the project would have four new devices reservoirs located at Rumuola, Diobu, Moscow and Borikiri in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor.
He said there would be eight elevated tanks with carrying capacity of about 1,000 to 1,500 cubic meters of water and about 17 boreholes in about six cluster areas connected to water treatment plants.
The Managing Director of Port Harcourt Water Corporation, Chief Ibibia Walter, said his team worked assiduously within eight months to secure the contractors trusted to execute the project, and thanked Wike for his commitment to ensure that rural dwellers access potable water in the State.
Speaking for CGC Nigeria limited, Chen Kangle who expressed gratitude to the governor for the trust in his company to handle the projects, assured the people of timely delivery.
