Rivers State Government – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has signed contracts for the rehabilitation and upgrading of water supply for Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The project, which would upgrade 496 kilometres of pipeline, will produce 330,000 cubic meters of potable water per day.
Also, the project would create 1,200 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs. Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Wike advised the contractors handling the projects not to compromise the agreed standard.
Managing Director of Port Harcourt Water Corporation, Ibibia Walter, who represented Wike, signed the contract on behalf of the state government, Chen Kangle for CGC Nigeria Limited, Yang Gengqi for Top International Engineering Corporation and Iskandar Taslakian signed for Mothercat Limited.
He urged the contractors to mobilise to site preparatory for the expected project flag-off on October 1.
“Let me warn, in Rivers State, we do not compromise with quality of work viz-a-viz timely delivery of contracts. “I shall be visiting all project sites, unannounced, to monitor progress and compliance with specification.
“I am requesting the African Development Bank (AFDB) that will finance the project to do so with 100 per cent cost of net of taxes.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presented huge challenges as the accruable revenues both to the Federal Statutory Allocation and Internally Generated Revenue has dropped.
“Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development and the managing director of Port Harcourt Water Corporation should engage AFDB with the view to get the bank to finance 100 percent of the cost of the project net of taxes.
“I am aware that the loan closing date is April 2021. I am directing the commissioner and the managing director to submit application to the Federal Ministry of Finance and AFDB to extend the duration of the loan by two years to enable full implementation of all components of the urban water sector reform.
“They should further engage AFDB with a view of restoring the works at Trans-Amadi, Abuloma, Woji and Elelenwo regrettably cancelled by other development partners,” he said.
Governor Wike said he would not hesitate to fully implement the PHWC restructuring and organisational build-out report when it is ready.
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