•UK-based foundation boosts water, hygiene in Ebonyi community
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
People of Amuzu, Ubegu, Iyioji Akaeze, Ivo Local Government, Ebonyi State, are in celebration mood. They had suffered cholera disease and other waterborne diseases over the years majorly due to lack of potable water and poor hygiene.
Their plight was actually caused by the difficulty associated with striking underground water in the area. The people practice open defecation. They defecate around the stream and every other part of the community. Once you enter the area, you are greeted with odour emanating from the unhygienic practice of open defecation.
Their only source of water used to be Iyioji River, which they drank and used for domestic purposes. In dry season, they faced acute water problem because the stream usually produced odour and looked very dirty.
This motivated Panju Foundation of the British-Canadian International Education (BCIE) to sink a borehole for them to ameliorate water scarcity and scourge of cholera outbreak.
BCIE was established by Nazmina Panju. It is a UK-based educational consultancy firm that assists students to study in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and Dubai.
It has been in operation for 25 years and is located in five countries including Nigeria. Commissioner for Infrastructural Development for Concession, Ogbonnaya Obasi Abara, who hails from the area, commissioned the borehole on February 8, 2025, for use.
He described the project as a welcome development, calling for emulation of the gesture to tackle the water problems in the community and ensure that the area continues to develop.
He told Daily Sun that the four boreholes the community had were not functional because they were sunk where there was no water. He expressed happiness that Pajnu Foundation sunk theirs where they found water in good volume.
He urged the people to protect the borehole to avoid suffering water problems if they vandalised it: “It’s a very good gesture considering the fact that there is no pipe borne water in this part of the state, in this part of the country.
“As a rural village, they still practice open defecation. So, to provide amenity like this, is a welcome development. I am sure that the people are going to benefit tremendously from it. Waterborne diseases will now be in check.
“I will advise the community to grab this borehole with both hands and both legs because they are they are the primary beneficiaries. If they don’t protect it, maintain it as the need arises, they will go back to square one and the suffering will continue.
“Let me say this as an engineer, for you to do something like this, you must have done investigation. It’s possible that other boreholes were sunk in the community where there is no water, where the aquifer does not exist. It’s possible that this one that was sunk now, they did a more rigorous study and survey before deciding to put it here.
“It’s a very welcome development that we are getting this from someone. It is recommended that other people should emulate this gesture because by so doing, this place will continue to develop.
“Anybody who tells you that government has money to provide all the things people need, the person is telling you lies. It’s expected that from time to time, some of the people that are well to do, should also come in to assist government to do things like this.”
Traditional Prime Minister of the community, Chief Ogbonnaya Chukwu, said the managing director of the foundation, Emeka Ude, was toeing the footsteps of his late father, Senator Anyim Ude in community service and prayed God to continue to bless him to do more for the people.
A resident, Isaac Chukwu Ude, recalled the problems the people faced to get water for drinking and domestic purposes. He vowed to personally ensure that the borehole was protected: “We are very happy for this borehole that was sunk for us. We have been drinking contaminated Eze Iyieku stream you saw when you were entering this village. It is so bad this time around because of what some persons put in it now trying to catch fish.
“The stream now has odour and it is not even good when you look at it. We’re happy now that someone sunk borehole for us. It has reduced stress for us and it will make us not to be using Eze Iyieku stream.
“There is an alternative stream in this community but it is very far. It is 5km away from here. This borehole has saved us from going such far distance before we get water.
“The borehole will not only save them from drinking contaminated water, but also improve their health and hygiene, thereby mitigating water borne diseases. This borehole is one of the best things to happen to this village.
“I will personally sure that this borehole is secured. Under-aged will not fetch water in the borehole. The only people that will be fetching water here are people from 18 years and above so that the borehole will be secured. We will be locking it from 8am to10am so that it will be more secured. From 1.00pm-2.00pm, we will also lock the borehole.”
Another resident, Walter Iruka, said: “The essence of the water project is to eradicate cholera outbreak and other diseases. The borehole is not only for the people of Ubegu Iyioji but, for the entire Akaeze and more are coming.
“I advise the village to guard this borehole jealously. The way they guard it, will make the foundation to bring more projects to them.”