PRESS RELEASE /// MARCH 22, 2021

WORLD WATER DAY 2021: USE N6.4BILLION APPROVED BY FEC FOR NEW WATER FACILITIES IN OGONI, DECLARE EMERGENCY ON PORT HARCOURT URBAN WATER PROJECT ADVOCACY CENTRE TELLS HYPREP, RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT

As the world marks World Water Day today, Youths and Environmental
Advocacy Centre (YEAC) has called on Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to use the N6.4billion approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). In the same vein, we also called on the Rivers State Government to declare emergency on the “Urban Water Sector Reform and Port Harcourt Water and Sanitation Project” to
relax tedious public procurement procedures and other administrative bottle-neck and fast-track the provision of portable drinking water for the people of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government area.

The theme of this year’s World Water Day is “Valuing Water” and Advocacy Centre drawing from its objective on water, sanitation and health (WASH) which corresponds with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for all; joins all Nigerians and the rest of the world to raise awareness about water crisis which is a global phenomenon due to the value of water to everyone. Advocacy Centre says it is rather surprisingly that while there is water everywhere, there seems to be water nowhere because access to portable drinking water is hardly possible especially in developing countries including Nigeria.

Water is important in our daily lives and used daily for different purposes from households to industries among others. Thus, water has no known enemy yet some people constitute themselves into enemies of water by undervaluing it and contributing to its pollution. Here in the Niger Delta region, our water bodies are almost dead with plastics, effluent and hydrocarbon pollution from households, industrial and artisanal refining activities and sources. Scientific studies like the audit of Ogoni environment by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) revealed that hydrocarbon pollution has contaminated underground water with benzene found 90times above World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in Nsisioken-Ogale in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State that share the same water table with other parts of Ogoniland, Rivers State and beyond. However, despite the comprehensive understanding of water’s true value and the need to provide this important, critical resource for the benefit of every Ogoni since its declaration as emergency in the 2011 report, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) overlooked the provision of alternative portable drinking water for these communities, ten years after UNEP Report and counting. On the other hand, while the Rivers State Government is now progressing with the “Urban Water Sector Reform and Port Harcourt Water and Sanitation Project”, the delayed commencement of this critical project over the years leading to the World Bank withdrawal of its $80million loan facility will no doubt affect the pace of the project and ability of the government to provide water to everyone that deserves it as planned and in record time.

Thus, in demonstration of comprehensive understanding of water’s true and multidimensional value, we call on the HYPREP whole responsibility it is to provide portable drinking water for the Ogoni population to utilize the over N6.4billion approved by the Federal Executive Council for the provision of water in Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai Local Government areas to built brand new water facilities and not to rely on the obsolete facilities of the Rivers State in the area which had been abandoned for decades. This is also because the fund is huge enough to provide and network new water facilities in Ogoni while still partnering with the Rivers State government in the areas of providing enabling environment, water pipes routes, supervision and ensuring that HYPREP complies with both the rural and urban water master plan among others. On the other hand, we call on the Rivers State Government to declare emergency on the Port Harcourt Urban water project to enable contractors fast-track work on the project. The Government should also look out for more funds after the World Bank withdrew its funding so that the project can be completed on record time, meet its original projected coverage areas and specifications.

With COVID-19 still around the corner, the value of water in the
vaccination process cannot be over-emphasized.

ADVOCACY CENTRE wishes everyone happy 2021 World Water Day celebration.

Signed,

FYNEFACE DUMNAMENE FYNEFACE, Environmental Justice Activist, Human Rights Defender and Executive Director, ADVOCACY CENTRE.
22/03/2021.