By Abbas Nazil
Residents across Delta State are raising alarm over the deepening water crisis, demanding the scrapping of the state’s Ministry of Water Resources due to what they describe as its consistent inefficiency and failure to ensure access to clean and safe water.
Despite being part of the resource-rich Niger Delta region, the people of Delta State continue to struggle with daily access to potable water, relying heavily on private boreholes, expensive water vendors, or unsafe water sources.
Many of the affected residents cite financial strain and health hazards associated with the poor water supply, lamenting the government’s inability to maintain existing water infrastructure or complete promised projects.
Although the government has rolled out several urban and rural water projects in areas such as Asaba, Warri, and Ughelli, residents say these schemes have either broken down due to poor maintenance or are functioning far below capacity.
Communities in rural areas remain the worst hit, with women and children walking long distances to collect water from polluted streams or rivers, exposing themselves to health risks and physical exhaustion.
The lack of clean water has reportedly led to outbreaks of waterborne diseases in some communities, further fuelling anger and calls for accountability from the state government.
Community leaders, including Matthew Ugochukwu, criticized the state for prioritizing funds towards a non-performing ministry rather than addressing the real water needs of the people.
He described the current situation as unacceptable, noting that it costs millions to drill a borehole and that many households spend between ₦4,000 and ₦7,000 monthly on water, which may still be unsafe.
He called on the government to acknowledge water as a basic human right and channel resources towards viable, transparent, and impactful projects that can deliver real results.
Despite this outcry, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Isaac Wilkie, defended the ministry’s efforts, citing over 80 functioning water projects across the state and promising the rehabilitation of schemes in places like Okpanam and Ogbeogonogo markets in Asaba.
He also mentioned collaborative efforts with the Federal Government to implement major water projects in communities such as Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku, assuring that contractors would soon be mobilised to site.
However, public confidence remains low, with residents expressing scepticism over repeated unfulfilled promises and lack of transparency in the state’s project implementation.
Residents like Smith Obododike and Mercy Okafor voiced frustration, accusing the government of moral failure by allowing its citizens to struggle daily for a basic necessity.
Okafor, a mother, decried the added burden of buying water in an already harsh economic climate, stressing that many low-income families cannot afford boreholes or water tankers.
She questioned the government’s presence in their lives, asking how citizens are expected to survive when even water becomes a luxury they must struggle to afford.
In many parts of Delta, particularly Asaba, Warri, and Ughelli, public taps are rare or completely non-existent, reinforcing residents’ belief that the government has abandoned its duty.
As the rainy season offers only short-term relief, the people of Delta State continue to demand immediate and sustainable solutions to the water crisis and urge the government to take its responsibility seriously.
They call for renewed commitment, effective governance, and prioritisation of water infrastructure to ensure that clean water is accessible to all citizens, regardless of social or economic status.
