By Abdullahi Lukman
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, faced a public backlash on Friday after members of a church congregation challenged his claim that the state government had significantly improved access to pipe-borne water across Enugu.
The incident occurred at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ogbete, during the Third Session of the 19th Synod of the Diocese of Enugu, where Onyia represented Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.
While presenting the government’s achievements, the SSG said the administration had expanded water infrastructure and that pipe-borne water was now available in many parts of the state capital, with supply reaching most households.
His remarks were met with loud objections from members of the congregation, who repeatedly chanted, “No! No! It’s a lie!” A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, showed Onyia attempting to calm the audience and urging them to verify the government’s claims.
“I can take you to go and verify,” he told the congregation, but the interruptions continued, making it difficult for him to complete his address before returning to his seat.
The exchange followed renewed public scrutiny of Governor Peter Mbah’s campaign promise to provide pipe-borne water to every household in Enugu within 180 days of assuming office.
Although the state government maintains that it has invested in water infrastructure, many residents have continued to report limited or irregular access to public water supply. Several communities still depend on privately owned boreholes and commercial water vendors to meet their daily water needs.
Residents have also expressed concerns over the rising cost of purchasing water, saying the increasing reliance on vendors has placed an additional financial burden on households amid prevailing economic challenges.
The incident has generated widespread discussion on social media, with many users citing it as evidence of growing public concern over the gap between official government claims and residents’ experiences regarding access to potable water in the state.
