Kogi State has begun experiencing water scarcity as a result of the impact of the flood that ravaged part of the state last October leading to the complete submersion of the N10.5 billion water treatment plant in water which damaged the plant beyond repairs.
The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumin Danga, who accompanied Punch around the plant expressed dismay at the degree of damage recorded on the pumping and water treatment machines.
He claimed that majority of the machines were beyond repair and required total replacement.
Following Punch’s enquiry about the cases of water scarcity in the state capital since last October, the commissioner revealed that the state government has since placed an order with the original manufacturer to replace the equipment, and is anticipating delivery soon.
Danga added that to account for the scarcity, the government carried out the repair of the Old Lokoja Water Works to be able to supply water to some parts of the state.
He said that the old water work is now supplying water to nearby communities of Kabawa, Karaworo, Ipata, Cantonment, Maigari palace and traditional areas of the confluence city.
The commissioner in his statement said he had personally approached and met with leaders, groups and members of communities appealing and requesting for their patience with the government.
He also stated the situation was the first of its kind since the inception of the government.
In his words “I believe in the next two weeks, the equipment will arrive and it will not take between four to five days to install them, and water will be restored to the metropolis
”we are doing everything possible to make water available across the confluence city within the shortest possible time.”
The commissioner stressed that the problem was due to natural disaster and the government is not to blame.
He also emphasised that the destroyed plant was built during the tenure of Governor Ibrahim Idris.
The project includes a purification treatment plant, two high pool tanks A with 10,000 cubic meters of storage and B with 3,000 cubic meters of storage, a compressor station, and a 20-kilometer long ductile pipe system, most of which have been damaged due to flooding.
