An Ijaw women group, known as Ijaw Women of America, has donated 10 boreholes across communities in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Ondo and Edo states, as part of its contribution to complement efforts of the government to control the spread of water-borne diseases and other related epidemics.
While inaugurating two of the borehole projects in Agorogbene, Sagbama Local Government Area and Oloibiri in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the representative of the Ijaw women group in Nigeria, Mrs. Victoria Peterside, said the projects were aimed at providing potable water for the people.
She said that as Ijaw daughters who grew up in villages before travelling to America they felt that the best way to give back to their communities was to provide amenities that would improve the well-being of their people, adding that stream water had been a source of many diseases recently, especially cholera that had claimed many lives.
She further appealed to the people of the communities to take ownership by protecting the projects from vandals, saying that the role of the Ijaw Women of America “is not to take over the responsibility of government but to complement its efforts so as to improve the lives of their people in Ijaw nation.
Also, the group inaugurated one borehole project in Iwokiri community in Isaka Clan, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Speaking on behalf of the people of Agorogbene, the paramount ruler, Coastman Okpeke, thanked the group, saying that the community would not be in a hurry to forget the gesture of the group because the new water source would help prevent the spread of water-borne diseases that has been affecting his people.
Also speaking, the youth leader of the community, Mr. Dimie Pere-Jonah, said the youth of the community would guard the borehole jealously and ensure that it would not be vandalised by unscrupulous elements.
Meanwhile, in Oloibiri, it was jubilation galore for the people of the community, as the project was said to have put an end to years of long distance walk to fetch water in a pond for domestic use.
According to the Chairman of the Oloibiri Council of Chiefs, Chief Akuro Ide, the project would not only serve the people of their community, but other neighbouring communities who had already started coming to fetch water from the borehole.
He said that his people were more grateful to the Ijaw women group because in spite of the fact that crude oil was first discovered in their community, the government both at the federal and state level were yet to come to their rescue by giving them drinkable water for over 60 years crude oil was first detected in their community.
He said: “We are grateful because our people will stop walking several miles to get water for their domestic use. We have also had a case where a girl drowned while trying to fetch water. Today, with this project, our story has changed positively.”
Also speaking, the councillor representing Ogbia Ward 10, Beatrice Apia, lamented the fact that during dry season, natural water sources dry up, creating water scarcity, a situation which had been an age long challenge.
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