Lorine Emenike
The Rivers State Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja says any water service provider that fails the ongoing registration exercise will not have its water certified for consumption by the Rivers State government.
Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, who stated this while briefing newsmen on the achievements of the ministry in the water sector said the move was not to victimize the water service provider but to maintain a global standard in water production in the State.
Dr Gogo-Jaja who attributed the high level of typhoid and malaria in the state especially during the raining season to the consumption of contaminated water said Governor Nyesom Wike was desirous and committed to providing quality water for residents of the State in line with the approved standard.
“Presently, we have close to forty-one thousand people registered on the website, that’s quite encouraging. By yesterday we have one pure water company and one table water company, that is to say, those who are service providers in the industry are not responding the way they ought to respond”
“Those who do business in the sector are not registering and there is only one answer and that possible answer is that they are likely serving Rivers people contaminated water.
“However, we want to use this opportunity to advise strongly, that if you are a water service provider, you are selling water in this State, or if you are selling bottled water, you are expected to register as quickly as possible because as soon as we start collection of samples, one must not have the market of Rivers State as a place to dump contaminated water”
He stated that as part of a deliberate effort to provide quality and accessibility of water for the people, the state government had concluded plans for the award of Port Harcourt water supply and sanitation project.
He pointed out that the present administration which prioritizes the wellbeing of residents will not allow individuals to suffer any water-born disease occasioned by contaminated water in the state.
The state water resources and rural development commissioner, however, appealed to water providers to complement the efforts of government in ensuring the provision of potable water to Rivers people and expressed optimism that the Port Harcourt water supply and sanitation project will kick off by September this year.
