The General Manager of Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation, Engr. Emeka Ugoanyanwu has said that the negligence by the former administration in the state is why the corporation is suffering at the moment.
Engr. Ugoanyanwu said that during the Urban Renewal programme of former Governor Rochas Okorocha there was total negligence for the Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation who were displaced and their office space converted to a school.
He also stated that despite not having an office, the urban renewal also witnessed the damaging underground water pipe in various locations in the state capital and it is causing huge difficulties in the new Corporation which Gov. Hope Uzodinma has made a top priority in his administration.
“our vision is to become one of the best water corporations in Africa”
“We now have a policy which we never had in Imo State. We have a state water, sanitation, and hygiene policy and we have a new law that has further provided the correct guideline into the activities of the sector” he said.
Confirming that the investment by Gov. Hope Uzodinma has seen the Corporation rise from the decay stage he met them to about 70% completion, Engr. Ugoanyanwu said that distribution is still their major issue as the bulk of the water produced is seen wasting across the state capital because of the damaged and aging underground pipes.
He admitted that it will take a long time to fix the damaged pipe issue, adding that the Corporation is gradually fixing the problem.
A visit to the various facilities mentioned by Engr. Ugoanyanwu showed that they are working, while departmental heads who were on ground confirmed that work is ongoing to make them reach full scale in no distant time.
Engr. Ugoanyanwu hailed Governor Uzodinma for not only resuscitating the Corporation but for modernizing and scaling it up to the level where it now covers water, sewerage, and sanitation.
He also said that the creation of regional Corporations has also helped in specialization, adding that what is being done at the
“To make sure effectiveness is instilled in the sector, the sector has been unbundled that now you have water corporation being in charge of urban water, sanitation and hygiene sector, you also have a small-town water agency being in charge of small towns and you have the rural water agency”
“The urban wash sector is expected to recover costs that are used in investing because it is very high, Government cannot continue to invest”
“The rural water sector is mostly a social service” He said.
