From Magnus Eze, Enugu
More than 20 units of modern water boreholes have been handed over to various communities in Afikpo-North and Afikpo-South Federal Constituency by their House of Representatives member, Idu Igariwey.
He said the gesture was to provide potable water to his constituents whose sources of natural water had drained because of the impacts of climate change.
He lamented that the few surviving sources of natural water in the area have also been polluted by recent industrial and economic activities, thereby making the people vulnerable to water borne diseases.
Igariwey added that the hilly topography of some communities in the constituency has further made it difficult for the people to have easy access to potable water.
“Drilling the boreholes became a necessity when I noticed that the lives and the health of my people were in danger, I could not wait any further.”
He explained that each of the boreholes he inaugurated is powered by solar energy which will make the water readily available to the people at all times without the constraint of power failure.
The lawmaker expressed his determination to tackle water challenges in his constituency, stating that his desire is to make the constituency a reference point in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals number 6, which focuses on provision of clean water and sanitation to the people.
He listed some of the communities that have so far benefitted to include Unwana; Amukabi, Owutu-Edda, Amasiri, Mkpoghoro, Ozizza, Itim, Ohaisu, Ugwuegu community as well as Ekeukwu Market.
He assured other communities yet to be captured in the water project to be patient as he had listed them in another phase which would be inaugurated in the coming weeks.
While thanking the legislator for his interventions in providing cleaner and alternative water sources for his people, a youth leader from Itim Autonomous Community, Charles Egwu Isu, explained that villagers usually passed through great difficulties to get water.