By Richard Thomas, Ibadan
Oyo State House of Assembly has appealed to the state Government to address the problem of lack of portable water supply in the state by ensuring the completion of all abandoned water work projects across the state.
The appeal followed a motion on the need to complete ongoing water work project in the state moved by Hon Kazeem Isiaka representing Oyo East/ Oyo West in the Assembly on Wednesday.
The Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin while presiding over the motion noted that the project which is jointly funded by the world bank, the federal government of Nigeria and the Oyo state government had been abandoned since 2014 adding that the House has now resolved to invite the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Permanent Secretary and other stakeholders to brief the lawmakers on the state of projects across the state.
According to Hon. Kazeem, the project awarded seven years ago was abandoned owing to failure of the then state government to pay its own counterpart fund after the World Bank and the Federal government had fulfilled their own part of the tripartite agreement.
The Speaker said the appeal became imperative because thousands of Oyo state residents lack access to portable water and this may increase their vulnerability to water borne diseases..
“The need for clean water cannot be overestimated and it is the duty of government to see to the water needs of the people” Hon Ogundoyin added
In their comments, the lawmakers decried the poor state of facilities already provided at the waterworks across the state and appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to again extend his midas touch to the project for speedy completion.
Others including the Deputy Speaker, Hon Muhammed Fadeyi, the Minority Leader, Hon Asimiyu Alarape , Hon Adebayo Babajide ( Ibadan North 2) in their contributions called for proper monitoring of the annual budget of the Water Corporation of Oyo state adding that leaving such laudable water project uncompleted across the state is disturbing.
