Government News Sources|10 October 2017
As a result of the high cost in the production and distribution of
potable water, consumers are now to pay N250 per meter cube (1, 000)
litres of water in Cross River state.
The decision for an upward review of the previous amounts was reached
at a one-day critical stakeholders town hall meeting held on Thursday,
October 12, 2017 at the Transcorp Hotels, Calabar
In a 4-point communique issued at the end of the stakeholders meeting
on improved and sustainable urban water supply service , it was
resolved that , “In view of the high cost of production and distribution of potable water in the state…the present water tariffs of N150 per meter cube or 1, 000 litres for household connection and
N200 per meter cube of water is due for a review”, and also “acknowledged and recognized the fact that potable water ought to be a public service, but for sustainability, the need to routinely pay
water bills cannot be overemphasized”.
The stakeholders’ also called for the urgent building of a robust
collaboration and partnership with agencies of government and the
private sector for the purpose of sustainable water supply in Cross
River state and equally identified the need for government to enact
water law to regulate sector to checkmate the current all comers
affairs operation in the state.
All issues as to how to improve water supply in Calabar as regards the
relationship/collaboration between stakeholders and water board,
prompt payment of water bills as well as sustained /regular supply of
clean, and indeed potable and safe water.
In his addressed at the event, the Governor of Cross River sate,
senator Ben Ayade, reiterated the commitment of his administration to
ensure the provision of adequate potable water for drinking, agricultural and industrial purposes, and stressed the need for consumers to partner and cooperate with the Cross River state Water Board Limited in the area of paying their bills regularly to equally
ensure regular and sustainable supply of water to them.
In his comments, the Commissioner for Water resources, Ntufam Gabriel
Odu Oji, commended participants /stakeholders for responding to the
Ministry’s and Water Board invitation for the meeting and the need for them to speak frankly on the issues to be discussed, while commenting
later on a question, the Water Resources commissioner, agreed that in
the past there was the private sector partnership in water management
in the state, and that in the future such partnership would be on
lease agreement based on mutually beneficial terms.
In his keynote address, the Board Chairman, Cross River state Water
Board Limited, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, stated that it is true that water supply is a social service responsibility of government to the people, based on the present reality of things and the high cost of maintenance of water equipment/treatment plants, chemicals,
distribution and supply, it become imperative that consumers pay a
token to aid in regular supply and to recover the production cost.
Agreeing with the late multi-instrumentalist musician, composer,
pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, human rights activist of global
standing and political maverick, Fela Anikulapo kuti, Ntufam Ekpo Okon
said that water has no enemy, and that over the years, the government
of cross River has taken critical and practical actions to ensure
water supply in the state, and that the CRSWBL has been given the mandate to provide water in the urban and sub-urban areas in the state while the state Rural Water Supply Agency (RUWASSA) has the mandate for the rural areas.
“Water ordinarily is a social service, but at the same time, for sustainability there must be some extend of commercial consideration in managing water.
CRSWBL has within this period developed quite extensive and modern water supply system within the city of Calabar extending up to Odukpani Local government Headquarters and some parts of Akpabuyo, Akamkpa local Government, Ugep, Ediba, extending to
sub-urban communities like Nko, Ekori, Adim, Idomi in Yakurr local
Government Area, Ikom extending up to Nde, Okuni and the Headquarters
of Etung Local Government, Obudu, Ogoja extending into communities in
Bekwarra Local government, Okpoma in Yala, Itigidi in Abi extending to
such other communities like Ekureku and Adadama; some are in Obubra
which is still ongoing”.
The Board Chairman disclosed that so much has been done in terms of
infrastructure and installation, but that why they had to call the people together to discuss is on how to sustainably manage our water supply to the public, and that he would want to seat back and listen to the contributions of the stakeholders on their, experience,
challenges, concerns to collectively chart the way forward, and that they are ready to listen to them the CRSWBL is also confronted with a lot of challenges.
In his presentation titled, “Strategy for Improved Urban Water Supply
and Sanitation in Calabar”, The Managing Director of CRSWBL, Dr.
Godwin Igile, outlined and elaborate on the rationale for the town hall meeting, background information on CRSWBL, situation and challenges with water supply in Calabar, options for improved service delivery, the company’s commitment to regular water supply and
expected commitment from customers and the general public, CRSWBL
strategic approach, both short and long term, operational budget needed to achieve the company’s objectives, among others.
Dr. Igile stressed the need for public ownership and protection of
water facilities such as meters, pipelines by discouraging the current
practice of damage to water pipelines and meter by-pass, illegal water
connection and vandalism, and emphasized the importance the role of
partnership with various stakeholders groups for mutual relationship,
while appealing to customers to pay their water bills promptly and
regularly, he listed out the following customers care GSM numbers,
08133338798, 08167772273, and 09033366992, for easy contact.
In his comment, the Special Adviser, Forestry Bio-Diversity, Marine
protection and conservation, Ntufam Edet Okon Asim said that
everything about our environment is life and water is life itself,
explaining that going back to the scripture, it is stated that before
the creation itself water covered the whole surface of the earth, and
that from scientific investigations, our lives depend on water just as
our bodies are made up of greater percentage of than any other
element.
He reasoned that the era of colony type of water billing is no longer feasible based on the current economic realities and that if the stakeholders and the general public want to enhance the performance of CRSWBL to serve them better there is need for an improved billing system, need for community relations system involving traditional rulers and the people to maintain and protect water facilities, adding he commended the governor, Senator Ayade for his commitment to the
provision of potable water to both the urban and rural dwellers in the
state, which earned the state and Ayade an International Award from Portugal, and that four nations in Africa were picked and in Nigeria it was only Cross River state.
Also speaking, The Director-General, Cross River State Rural Water
Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Hon. Ita Ikpeme, disclosed
that his agency that is responsible for the provision of potable water
to the 75 percent rural dwellers in Cross River was established by edict number 6 of 1991 by the Cross River State government and charged with the responsibility of providing safe and potable water and state sanitation facilities in the state’s rural communities which constitutes about 7o percent of the population.
He said that the total numbers of motorized bore-holes, bore-holes
that use solar energy or generator to pump Is 1, 184 which was
supposed to provide facilities for 2.8million rural dwellers which was
about 10 years ago, and that presently only 393 of the bore-holes are
functional, which in effect supplies only 982, 500 in our rural communities, while the total numbers of hand pumps are just 1, 112 which was supposed to provide water facilities for 278, 000 people, but none-functional is 386, meaning that only 96, 900 people have
access to potable water.