From Precious Owolabi, Ado-Ekiti

In continuation of efforts to guarantee the adequate provision of potable water, sanitation, and hygiene to residents, the Ekiti State Government has taken delivery of 110 solar-powered pumps and accessories for the construction of another set of 110 WASH facilities across the 16 Local Government Areas and 22 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.

The State Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, made this known in Ado Ekiti, explaining that the project is being executed under the World Bank-backed Programme-for-Results arrangement — the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme.

It aims to improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services, particularly in underserved communities of the benefitting states.

Aluko stressed that the decision to purchase the pumps in bulk was to save costs and ensure the standardisation of pump quality and after-installation servicing.

According to him, “The broader project is our SURWASH programme, and part of what we have been doing in the past two years is ensuring access to water and sanitation in both urban and rural areas.

“We have been constructing boreholes, and sanitation and toilet facilities in schools, health centres, and communities over the past two years. So far, 121 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities have been rehabilitated, and 64 solar-powered boreholes constructed. The current installment includes 110 WASH facilities consisting of anchored-in solar-powered boreholes to be located in 55 schools and 55 health centres across the state, with each LGA and LCDA receiving two units, and an additional two units allocated to Ado LGA.

“We are also working on finding a lasting solution to the issue of electricity supply for our dams. The emphasis now is on providing two things: dedicated lines leading to the dams, as well as dedicated power sources, whether gas-powered, solar-powered, or, in some cases, small hydro-power systems — all sufficient to pump water to where it is needed.”

He added, “Electricity supply for residential or commercial use requires far less power than dams because the dams require heavy-duty pumps. That’s why we need dedicated, independent power solutions for our dams, as well as for agricultural irrigation purposes around the dams.

“The current focus is to implement power solutions that ensure we get potable water. We have four major dams — Ero, Egbe, Ureje, and Itapaji — as well as a fifth one at Ogbese, which is owned by the Federal Government. The Ogbese dam is multipurpose, primarily hydro-powered, and is currently being worked on,” he stated.