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The coastal city of Ikuru town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State will start enjoying potable water as from December, following a contract signed by the Ikuru Town Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) and two contractors for the delivery of that essential facility.
Contract for the N500-million water project was signed at the weekend by the Board of Trustees, (BoT) of the HCDT and two contractors, GEEMARK Construction Limited and Peeman Integrated Services.
The first phase of the project will have GEEMARK Construction Limited will handling the water drilling project at the cost N30-million while Peeman Integrated Services will be in charge of construction of the facility house at the cost of N40-million with expected date of December for the completion.
The water project is the implementation of the three percent Operating Expenses (OPEX) by the Joint Ventures (JV) as recommended by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Joint Ventures, Green Energy and Lekoil are currently implementing the projects through the HCDT, with an independent board of trustees.
Speaking on the importance of the project, Chairman, BoT of Ikuru Town HCDT, Professor Lysias Gilbert, said: “Our terrain is a peculiar one. We are surrounded by ocean and salt water. We also have swarm and fresh water on the island and that makes getting drinking water a major challenge to us. That is why we want to tackle this challenge as much as possible, believing that we will have a major breakthrough this time around.”
He added that the management committee would monitor the projects to ensure that the jobs were delivered based on specification.
“We have also hired a consultant who specialises in that area, he works in SPDC and will help in monitoring. We are also to work with the various contractors based on milestones of the job done.
“The total cost of the project is above N500 million. That is why we decided to handle the contracts in phases. This is phase one where GEEMARK will drill water at over N30 million, Peeman will build the facility house at about N40 million.
“We believe that during the second phase, more money would have come from the three percent that will be given to us to build water tanks.
“When good water is produced by GEEMARK and it is tasteless and colourless, we will be able to erect some pipes to connect the entire community with water. We already have some Gee Pee tanks in the community that is why we hope to get the water project done and delivered by December.
“By the end of next year, if we are able to complete this phase of the project, we will set up a water facility project where we will be bottling water for commercial purposes,” he explained.
Speaking on behalf of the Green Energy and Lekoil JV, Nze Godwin Okeke stressed the importance of the project both to the community and the JV.
He also alluded to the difficulty of getting potable water to the community despite being close to the ocean.
He pointed out the JV has been able to maintain a cordial relationship with the communities, noting that that will enhance the timely delivery of the project.
Reacting to the contract signing, an indigene of the community, Lawson George expressed delight that the community will be spared years of intermittent outbreak of water-borne diseases despite the fact that it is an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.
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