ABAKALIKI-Governor Martin Elechi has promised to connect all parts of Ebonyi state with good drinking water, latest by December 2010, when the on-going two greater water schemes at Ofurekpe and Ukawa would be connected with Ezillo regional water scheme to supply water to both the towns and hinterlands.

The state Commissioner for Public utilities, Mr. Celestine Nwali, who spoke with Vanguard on Governor Elechi’s plan,  asked the people of the state to be patient with the administration, noting that the projects were on schedule.

While acknowledging that there had been reduction in water supply to the Abakaliki, the state capital, he attributed the hiccup to the Ezza/Ezillo communal crisis, which he said made the workers at the pump station run for their lives. He however, said that the situation would soon improve following the recent ceasefire agreement reached by the warring communities, which had encouraged the workers to return to the pump station at Ezillo.

“There are no delays at all. We are on course because the projects are for 24 months, that is two years and they were not awarded at the very inception of this administration. They were awarded in April last year. That is barely one year and they have two years to deliver. We have just commissioned a consultant, who is doing design work for the distribution network.

“We have synchronized the distribution and completion of the water head works, which are the treatment plants that will correspond by October 2010, ” he added.