BY VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA- ANAMBRA State government has signed contracts worth N431.84 million with ten indigenous contractors for the execution of water projects in various parts of the state. The water schemes fall under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme.

Commissioner for economic planning and budget, Professor Chinyere Okunna who is the chairman of the state MDG implementation committee signed on behalf of the state government, while representatives of the various companies signed for their organizations.

The schemes, which involve water projects in parts of Awka, the state capital, as well as in Aguata, Nnewi, Ogbaru, Anambra East and Idemili, are to be completed three months as all the pipes and other materials required for pumling the water from boreholes to overhead tanks have been imported.

Describing water as a critical arm of the MDG, Okunna urged the contractor to avoid the past mistakes in which many water projects executed in the state failed due to deign and coordination, adding that it was for that reason that the present administration decided to scale up the projects.

She warned that contractors involved in the project must follow the vision of the state government to do their best for the state, advising those who feel they could not fit into the plan of the Peter Obi administration to opt out of the contract.

In his speech, the commissioner for public utilities and water supply, Mr. Emeka Nwankwu whose ministry supervises the project observed that one of the reasons why similar projects failed in the past was because the ministry was not involved in the design and coordination, explaining that it was for that reason that consultants were hired for the present project.

He also warned the contractors against bribing government officials to approve shoddy jobs, adding that anybody involved in such a thing would have his contract terminated.

“You should realize that you are working for your people who desire to have water in their communities because it is a necessity of life,” he told them.