Assembly decries acute shortage of water in Osun

THE Osun House of Assembly on Wednesday said the acute shortage of water in the state was worrisome, advising that urgent practical steps needed to be taken  by   government to tackle the situation.

The lawmakers made the observation at the 2017 budget defence of the Osun State Water Corporation in Osogbo.

They said water, a social service to the people of the state, was no longer available.

Mr Timothy Owoeye, the leader of Government Business at the assembly, said water which many regarded as basic necessity was no longer made available by the corporation.

Owoeye, said inspite of the huge amount of money government was budgeting for the corporation, water was not being adequately supplied in the state.

The lawmaker said communities like Ilesa had not been having water supply from the corporation since 1982.

Also speaking, Mr Kamil Oyedele, the House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, said people in rural communities have had to trek for some kilometres  to get potable water to use.

Kamil said it was sad that many of the mini water schemes in the state were now moribund.

He urged the corporation to meet with the executive to design a road map that would ensure adequate water supply in the state.

Mr Ajibola Akinloye, the House Committee Chairman on Environment, who lamented that many of the mini water schemes in the state were moribund, said the corporation was still making budgeting provisions for them.

Akinloye said it was no longer necessary for government to be paying salaries of staff at the moribund water schemes across the state.

But responding, the General Manager of the Water Corporation, Mr Gbenga Owojuyigbe, said epileptic power supply was the major challenge in ensuring adequate supply of water.

Owojuyigbe said many of the mini water schemes were moribund due to non availability of funds to resuscitate them.

He said the Ede water works was still supplying water to people in the area, adding that regular maintenance was being carried out on the scheme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corporation presented  a budget proposal of N 2 billion to the assembly.