Na wetin we dey see for Enugu water wahala? Promise wey dem make wey don vanish like slight breeze! When Governor Peter Mbah come talk say water go flow for Enugu homes within 180 days, everybody gree claps ah ah, but now, na only empty buckets we dey see.
For dis Coal City state, na saga we dey face, as plenty residents dey shout say e be like say dem don turn us to water ghost. Over N70 billion wey dem budget for the water wahala from 2024 to 2026, but wetin we get? Broken pipes, eye-watering tanker prices, and serious frustration for ground!
People wey dey live from Ngwo to Uwani dey complain say nothing don change. Dem dey hustle to buy water like say na gold we dey talk about. Chief Nduka Eya, wey be big man for Brown & Brown estate, don dey burst brains! E talk say na our people go dey blame as dem dey clap for the governor without asking questions.
“I don see small water trickle before, but e stop. Wetin happen?” E dey wonder how the government dey claim say water dey everywhere while him no fit get drop for house for two years. Na so propaganda dey make people dey vex, and dem no fit see wetin dey happen for real.
Fast forward to January, tanker drivers don turn to ‘Water Generals’ as dem dey charge money wey fit make person smell bad. Ejike Udeh wey dey Meniru talk say na luxury water don turn to, as e dey pay N15,000 for just one 500-gallon tank wey fit last him family just three weeks! Wetin go happen if dem continue like this?
Chief Eze Lazarus wey dey Uwani dey complain say dem dey charge him N35,000 for 1,000 gallons now, where e for dey buy am before for N12,000. Meanwhile, dem dey send Taskforce to come collect money for water wey no dey flow. Na wah o!
But make we talk the budget matter. Na so dem dey collect billions but na small small na dem dey spend. In 2024, dem budget N28 billion for water, but only N3.4 billion don waka. E mean say na 12.3 per cent dem don achieve! For 2025, na N23.2 billion but only N895.4 million don reach ground. Wetin be all dis? Na so life dey sweet for government people?
Plenty residents don dey talk say dem no go fit drink money wey dem no see results for ground. Even as dem dey blame geology for the water failure, dem get plenty river wey fit supply water, but distribution no dey follow. As e stand, dem dey use old, weak pipes wey just dey burst anytime dem put pressure.
Miracle Ozioko from Coal Camp dey shout say even “pure water” don increase from N300 to N350. Na so water things dey go for Enugu. Na time wey pipo dey pay N35,000 for tanker, and dem no fit see government do anything for dem!
Experts talk say if Enugu wan solve dis water wahala, dem suppose come together with private sector. Dem need build strong system wey fit carry water straight to our homes, not all dis talk without action. As long as budget dey underperform, na so Enugu go continue dey pray for rain even as dem dey check dem pockets for change.
Na wah o! Wetin be dis one? We dey wait for results and no be only for government mouth! As Chief Eya talk am, “The governor may mean well, but execution na wetin matter. Make e go learn from Plateau State how dem dey do am!”
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