By Brave Dickson
The people of Okrika extraction in Rivers State have verbally attacked Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi for not providing potable drinking water for them while serving as current and former governors of the state.
Some said since the country returned to democratic government in 1999, only during former Governor Peter Odili’s tenure that they experienced government water project in some parts of Port Harcourt waterfronts.
In an interview with our correspondent, the Leader, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) of Okrika Local Government Area, Comrade Tamunokubie Idasefiema: said: “The governments are to be blamed because they are primarily in charge of providing potable drinking water for the people they govern.
“The chances of contracting cholera and other water-borne diseases are very high in Okrika LGA because of the contaminated water we drink every day.”
Others said: “The Creek Road axis of Port Harcourt and its environs will soon be suffering from cholera and other water-borne diseases, resulting from lack of potable drinking water in the areas.
Also Read: Ex- NNPC boss reels out 9-point agenda to unseat Obaseki
“After former governor Peter Odili’s administration, no successive governments have been able to provide us potable drinking water.
“This development has made drinking water very expensive where we are living.
“Water sellers in our area popularly called maruwa now sell a 20-litre of water jerrican for N50 while some of us used to spend N10,000 monthly on water buying.
“A lot of infant mortalities in our area will soon be traceable to the use and drinking of contaminated water because this water we buy from maruwa is not treated.”
They also appealed to those in authorities to come to their rescue by providing potable drinking water for them.
