By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Indications have emerged that water consumers in Benue state are indebted to the State Water Board to the tune of over N1.5billion.

General Manager of the Board, Mr. Gideon Shenge who made the disclosure Tuesday in Makurdi lamented that most of the debtors were highly placed individuals who could easily pay the N2,000 monthly rate.

Mr. Shenge also identified some government officials who would also not pay the rate but use their offices to intimidate staff of the Board who dared demand payments saying “the N1.5billion debt was accumulated in the last ten years.”

According to him, “in one of such cases my staff had gone to disconnect the supply to the house of a defaulting government appointee, he threatened to report me saying that he was a government official.”

The General Manager who listed some of the challenges hampering steady water supply in parts of Makurdi town identified lack of power supply, non availability of diesel due to paucity of funds, lack of chemicals for purification, amongst several others.

He disclosed that the board however generates over N500,000 to N1million monthly from sale of water to private and corporate organizations within the State.

According to him, “100 percent of the amount is remitted to the Benue Internal Revenue Services, BIRS and they in turn give us 75 percent for running of the board which is sometimes just N200,000.

“We spend as much as N650,000 for repair and reticulation of water to four major areas of Makurdi town including Lobi-Kwararafa, two areas in North bank and Katsina-Ala street.

“Also, our old and new water works have the capacity for 100,000 cubic meters of water but we are currently dispensing 50,000 cubic meters daily.”