FG Reads Riot Act to Water Contractors, to Drill 72 Boreholes in Five States

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to water contractors, emphasizing its uncompromising stance on substandard execution of contracts of the Expanded Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) projects.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, delivered the warning during the launch of the 2022/2023 PEWASH project implementation in Abuja Thursday.

The project involves the drilling of 72 water boreholes, incorporating solar-powered technology across five states with the primary objective of eliminating the persistent issues associated with inadequate water supply.

Represented by the Director of Water Supply in the ministry, Nichola Madu, Utsev stressed that the Federal Government had initiated ‘Counterpart Projects Matching’ based on the PEWASH Protocol, which was signed in collaboration with five state governments.

He highlighted that the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector had been plagued by challenges, including recurrent water supply system failures, primarily caused by non-compliance with contract specifications and substandard construction practices, leading to the abandonment of dysfunctional systems.

According to Utsev, “The ministry places great importance on the qualitative and timely delivery of projects to the rural communities it serves. Therefore, any transfer of contracts between parties, deviations from the contracts’ specifications, terms and conditions, as well as delays in contract execution, will not be tolerated.”

He concluded by urging all stakeholders to adhere strictly to the established guidelines from project commencement to completion.