By Gabriel Olawale

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola has celebrated two years anniversary in office with the launched of a 250 million liter-capacity water project in the state in fulfillment of yet another electoral promise.

Clean water is at the center of economic and social development and vital to maintain health, grow food, manage the environment, and create jobs. Despite water’s importance, over 663 million people in the world still lack access to improved drinking water sources. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water and sanitation has proposed universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, access to adequate, equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end to open defecation by 2030. This new goal reflects the growing importance of clean water and sanitation as a human right.

Over 70 percent of the Osun State population have been reported to have their drinking water contaminated either from the water source or during handling. In addition, abnormal levels of metals and harmful microorganisms have been detected in several water sources across the state. Unfortunately, these contaminated water sources are known to cause widespread waterborne diseases including schistosomiasis, cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea.

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To curb this, Governor Gboyega Oyetola has taken commendable steps in providing potable water through a public-private partnership. The government signed an MOU with Efficacy Construction Company Ltd and its foreign partner China Bengbu International Technology and Economic Cooperation Limited (CBITEC) to embark on a game-changer project that will revitalize the ailing water industry in the state. The project will provide potable drinking water to 2.5million people across the 18 local government areas in Osun State, through the development of Modular Water Treatment Plants (MWTP) across the state for a duration of 120 days per phase of the modular water treatment plant.

The private partners, Efficacy Construction Company and China Bengbu International Technology and Economic Cooperation Limited (CBITEC) are leading providers of environmental engineering and public health engineering services and audit. The companies have over the years strategically serviced organizations in the oil & gas, manufacturing, healthcare and residential developments.

The newly signed project will no doubt increase supply of clean, potable and medical grade water for domestic, healthcare, research Institutions, manufacturing and industrial facilities. In addition, it will lead to reduction in water related diseases, public health safety and creation of job opportunities.

Vanguardngr.com