Soludo Hands Over Resuscitated Solar-Powered Borehole to Onitsha Primary Schools

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has reassured that potable water must get to every nook and cranny of the State, in furtherance of his administration's strides to ensure that no part of Anambra State is left without access to clean and reliable water.

The Governor, speaking through the State Commissioner for Power and Water Resources, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka, gave the reassurance on Wednesday while handing over a newly-resuscitated and refurbished solar-powered borehole to the Management and the pupils of the Rev. Anyaegbunam Primary School, Onitsha, and Nworah Umunna Memorial Primary School, Onitsha, both in Onitsha North Local Government Area of the State.

Commissioner Chukwuemeka, represented by the Team Leader from the Ministry, covering Anambra North Senatorial District, Mr. Okechukwu Onyedibe, also explained that the project was part of the steps towards actualizing the vision of the Soludo Administration to make Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland, adding that the project is durable, eco-friendly, and costless to manage, due to its use of solar as the power source, as against the old fashion of diesel-powered generator.

He recalled that Governor Soludo, upon assumption of office, gave a marching order for the resuscitation of the various water schemes and facilities across the state to ensure uninterrupted clean and potable water supply to Ndị Anambra, which made the Ministry embark on stock-taking and facility inventory on all public water facilities around the state to ascertain their functionality status and challenges. He added that, after the inventory, the Governor approved the rehabilitation, reactivation, and conversion of over 64 of the water facilities to solar in different parts of the state in the first phase of the project, and which the schools are parts of the beneficiaries.

While commending the community members and the schools for their cooperation with the contractor throughout the period of the project execution, he also stressed the need for the Schools' Managements to take full and adequate ownership of the facility, to ensure its security, functionality, and sustainability; even as he also mandated them to appoint few persons to be trained on operating and taking care of the facility.

According to him, Soludo executes such projects under the Private Public Community Partnership (PPCP) model, which ensures that the private sector, government, and local communities are actively involved in every stage of the project, from planning and execution to maintenance.

On his own part while giving an overview of the water facility, the Project Contractor and Chief Executive Officer of the Sterling Industrial Supply Ltd., Awka., Chief Innocent Chikezie, explained that the water, which was adequately reticulated within the schools' environments and their toilet facilities, with multiple fetching points, was built according to the specification, and is durable, clean and of standard quality to serve the potable water need of the people.

Chief Chikezie, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Administration and former MD/CEO of the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Dr. Jude Emecheta, revealed that, along the line in the project execution, they had to stop their initial drilling (even when they had gone very far in it), and start a fresh one, because the previous one was not giving what they wanted, especially in term quality; as according to him, Governor Soludo is a man of top grade and an advocate of quality, who always wants the best for Ndị Anambra.

While thanking the school Management and the staff of the State Ministry of Power and Water Resources for their support throughout the execution of the project that was started in January this year; he also commended the Governor for the opportunity given to the firm to execute the project, as well as for his general achievements and the giant strides of his administration so far in the water sector, especially the restoration of pipe-borne water in Awka, with those of Onitsha and Nnewi coming up soon, after over 16 years such thing was last seen in the State.

In their separate remarks, the supervisors of the project, Mr. Egbuji Chukwudi and Mrs. Jennifer Aniegboka, both of the State Ministry of Power and Water Resources, commended the quality of the work done by the contractor. They also described the project as another practical manifestation of Governor Soludo's unwavering commitment to addressing critical infrastructure challenges and improving the quality of life for Ndị Anambra, describing his government as an evidence-based government.

In their votes of thanks on behalf of others, the Headmistress of the Rev. Anyaegbunam Primary School, Mrs. Chinenye Obidike, and the P.T.A. Chairman of the school, Mr. Eugene Emembo, thanked the Anambra State Government for providing the solar-powered borehole for the school, noting that lack of water had been one of the major challenges of the school until Soludo came to their rescue.

While attesting that the water would be of great benefit to the school and the pupils, especially in the area of maintaining good hygiene, cleanliness of the school toilet facilities, and the general environmental well-being of the school; the duo also assured adequate maintenance and protection of the facility, to ensure it stands the test of time.

The signing of handover notes by relevant persons, the test-running, and the official handover of the project to the school in the presence of the pupils formed the high points of the event.

This reporter, Izunna Okafor, observed that the solar-powered borehole, which has 3000-gallon tanks, also has a solar-powered streetlight, which provides illumination for the facility during the night.

More photos from the event: