C’River signs N2.6bn Ogoja water contract with Chinese firm AUGUST 17, 2014 BY MUDIAGA AFFE, CALABAR Leave a Comment The Cross River State Government has signed a N2.6bn contract agreement for the construction of Ogoja water scheme with a Chinese firm, CGC Nigeria Limited. This is coming few months after unveiling the N5.3bn Ikom Water scheme. The Ogoja project is expected to be completed in 18 months and when completed, it will increase access to potable water in the state to about 80 per cent. The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Etowa Elemi, signed on behalf of the state while the Managing Director of CGC Nigeria Limited Mr. Ye Sejiun signed on behalf of the company. Speaking shortly after signing the documents, Governor Liyel Imoke said, “The provision of potable water and access to water has been on the top of our agenda as an administration. “It is our vision that if we can deliver on our projects to the people across the state, then we would achieve the vision of making life easier and reducing poverty while improving on overall well-being of the citizenry.” Imoke said the World Bank assisted Calabar water scheme has become a benchmark for public private partnership projects, adding that it has brought succour to the people. The governor said the phase one of the Ikom water scheme valued at N5.3bn was funded by the state while its second phase will be funded by World Bank. He explained that the water project will only cover Ogoja but Bekwarra and Yala local government areas as well. According to him, the project will be constructed for sustainability and will be managed under PPP. He also said it will enable the benefitting communities to be incorporated in tandem with what urban area dwellers enjoyed. Imoke therefore appealed to the benefitting communities to understand the importance of the project and cooperate with the contractor to enable them enjoy the benefit from it as government is prepared to play its role. The Managing Director of CGC Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ye Sejiun, who said the company was born in Nigeria 31 years ago, commended the state government for giving it the opportunity to exhibit its expertise in the construction of water related projects.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 22:34:55 +0000