By Tony Edike
ENUGU — SOLAR Energy streetlights worth about N3 billion are being installed in different parts of Enugu West senatorial zone of Enugu State under the constituency projects initiated by the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, to improve the living condition of the rural dwellers.

Chief Ekweremadu, who disclosed this while commissioning the N20 million water borehole project he provided for Ibute-Nze community in Udi Local Government Area at the weekend, said a total of 25 communities within Enugu West had already benefitted from the water project which he attracted under his constituency projects.

The water project is seen as a major relief for the rural community of Ibute-Nze, which natives hitherto trek for about five kilometres daily to fetch spring water.

The Deputy Senate President said he embarked on the various development programmes in the senatorial zone to complement the efforts of Governor Sullivan Chime in the provision of basic infrastructure for the people of the state.

He said: “The interesting thing is that I am working closely with our governor,  so we try not to duplicate our effort.  The governor is working on the roads and electricity but we needed to intervene in areas other than that and we tried to find out what is the greatest priority of the people and they said that water is very important to them.”

That is why we decided to work in the area of water.  So with the water, electricity and road I am sure that that will lift the standard of life in this community.

“25 communities have so far benefited from the water borehole projects and we have electricity projects going on in other places. We have school projects, we are also providing solar street lights in all parts of the zone.  We have about N3 billion project going on in area of Solar Energy Street lights in Enugu West.”

According to him, about 12 erosion control projects are in progress within the zone while various inter_community roads in the zone are being connected to the major road to open up the senatorial zone, adding that contracts for the roads have all been awarded.

“I want to believe that what we are doing in area of my foundation is also complementing what we are doing in the area of constituency projects. I am happy to note that the villagers also appreciate  a lot of things we are doing.  You hear them mention about Adult Literacy Programme and our Widowhood Programme.

During this Christmas we are going to celebrate our widows as we do every year and we are going to increase the number this year,” Ekweremadu said.

The senator who also donated one million towards the rehabilitation of the community’s primary school building which had become dilapidated, however, urged leaders of the community to adequately protect the water project to forestall its vandalisation just as he pledged his readiness to assist the community in other areas of need.

The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Nodlim Eze had earlier applauded Chief Ekweremadu for coming to the aid of the community which had been existing under  heavy burden of water scarcity.

“This water borehole you provided to us is a very big relief to the water burden of this community.   It is worthy of note that scarcity of drinking water has been a torn on the flesh of this noble community since Adam.

The importance of portable water to this community cannot be over_emphasized,” leaders of Ibute-Nze stated in an address at the occasion.