By Kelvin Obambon
The Cross River Government has taken a significant step toward ending the persistent water scarcity in the state by finalizing a public-private partnership (PPP) deal with Agua Globa Services to manage the Cross River State Water Board Ltd.
High Chief Godwin Nyiam PhD, Managing Director of the Cross River State Water Board Ltd., revealed on Tuesday during a chat with the Paradise News in Calabar that His Excellency, Governor Bassey Edet Otu has approved a concessionaire, Agua Globa Services to take over the management of water board.
“They’ve been given the mandate to take over water board through public-private partnership,” the MD disclosed, emphasizing that the initiative is foundational for rebuilding the state’s water supply infrastructure, which has suffered from years of neglect.
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Nyiam explained the challenges faced by the Water Board, including “electromechanical problems” due to aging equipment procured 22 years ago, widespread meter theft, and energy issues that have hampered water production. He said, “The cost of one machine as of today, from the abstraction point, is approximately 460 million naira.” This, according to him, put a financial strain on the state’s lean resources.
He explained that the partnership entails Agua Globa Services bringing in 85 percent of the funding while the state retains 15 percent ownership, adding that “the private investor will manage the water board for 10 years, overseeing the necessary overhaul of aging infrastructure.”
“We are very sure, we are hopeful that between now and next week, we should be able to put an end to this, and that the private investor will take over,” Nyiam confidently stated.
The governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, according to the MD, has been the driving force behind this effort. He lauded the governor’s commitment towards ensuring sustainable water supply in the state.
The public-private partnership in the water sector, he said, “marks a pivotal moment in Cross River’s quest to provide reliable and sustainable water services to its residents, signaling the end of chronic water shortages in the near future.”
