Water supply and sanitation projects worth $323million have been launched in Obio/Akpor communities in Rivers.
The project is jointly sponsored by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank and Rivers Government.
This is contained in the AfDB’s newsletter, May Edition, issued by its Nigeria Country Office on Saturday in Abuja.
AfDB Country Director, Dr Ousmane Dore, who launched the project in Port Harcourt, said it was aimed at provide sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation to the residents of Port-Harcourt.
“This marks a milestone in the history of the Port Harcourt and Obio /Akpor communities with the launch of the $328 million Urban Water Reform and Port Harcourt Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
“The project is financed by the AfDB, $200 million, the World Bank, $80 million and Rivers Government, $48 million.
“AfDB’s loan of $200 million will focus on putting infrastructure and systems in place to ensure water produced gets to the end users.”
According to the newsletter, completion of the project will improve access to water in Port Harcourt from 10 per cent to 100 per cent by 2020.
Dore said that over 1.3 million people from Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas would benefit from the project by the year 2020.
Dore urged Rivers Government to bear in mind the importance of building sustainability mechanisms into the project to ensure that the State Water Corporation was legally and financially autonomous to operate in a commercially-oriented manner.
According to the newsletter, Gov. Nyesom Wike, commended the AfDB and World Bank for their gesture which he said would improve sustainable service delivery by Rivers Water Corporation.
“Rivers State Government is highly committed to ensuring the provision of clean urban water supply in spite the financial crisis,” Wike said.
He noted that the project was key in the development of the state, adding that it would provide safe water and sanitation that would create women entrepreneurs and provide employment.(NAN)