By Abdulllahi Lukman
The Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) has raised concerns over the failure of two water projects in Ogoniland, Rivers State, valued at about ₦2.87 billion, which it said became non-functional days after commissioning and have yet to be repaired.
The projects are the Gwara Water Project, awarded at ₦1.799 billion, and the Ebubu Eleme Water Project, valued at ₦1.075 billion. OLI said the contracts were handled by Surez Global Resources Limited and Duliz Dredging and Construction Ltd.
In a statement, OLI President and CEO Dr Fabeke Douglas described the projects’ failure as part of a wider pattern of abandoned or poorly executed water infrastructure in Ogoni and called for greater accountability in the management of public funds.
Douglas raised the concerns ahead of another planned visit to Ogoni by the Minister of Environment to commission a new borehole project. He questioned the decision to launch additional projects while previously completed water schemes remain unusable.
He said OLI would release further information on the contractors, the contract-award process and the disbursement of funds.
The group also alleged that several water projects across Ogoni communities had been abandoned despite being fully funded, while claiming that some contractors did not receive their full payments.
Douglas said residents deserved reliable access to clean water rather than abandoned infrastructure and called for officials responsible for failed projects to account for their implementation.
OLI said its members would be present during the minister’s proposed visit to demand explanations over the condition of existing water projects and the use of public funds.