POWER, WATER SHORTAGE MAY HIT OGUN

From Niyi Ogungbola, Abeokuta
Posted: Friday, July 23, 2010

THE people of Ogun State may soon be plunged into a perpetual darkness and in dearth of potable water soon, unless, the State House of Assembly accelerated the passage of the supplementary budget to accommodate some urgent State financial needs.
  The Ogun State government raised this alarming signal at a press conference addressed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise on Wednesday.
  Kawonise, who described the state of affairs in Ogun as an “emergency situation’’, said the non-passage of the supplementary appropriation bill had virtually grounded the business of governance.
  He said that the state was in dire need of some water treatment chemicals, as the one purchased in 2007 had been exhausted.
  The commissioner said out of the more than N400 million voted for the importation of chemicals in the 2010 budget, only N147 million was approved by the lawmakers which has prevented the State to purchase necessary Chemicals for the treatment of water.
  This, he said, had forced the executive arm to include the balance in the supplementary appropriation bill with the expectation that the House will approve it on time to prevent the outbreak of epidemics.
  Besides, Kawonise disclosed that a letter was received on July 8 from the PHCN threatening to cut power supply to all ministries, agencies, parastatals and waterworks in the state.
  “If something is not done, the whole state may be shut down in term of electricity and water supply. This is not good for the security of the state,’’ he said.
  In the press briefing which was jointly addressed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kunle Salako and the General Manager of the state Water Corporation, Mrs Cecilia Olajide, she also told newsmen that the chemicals procured in June 2007 had been exhausted since June 2010.
  She added that more than N400 million was required for another consignment which would last for another three years, stressing that it would take a minimum of three months to get the materials imported into the country.
 The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Kunle Salako, in his own part likened lack of water supply to the state to a war situation.  
“For us in the health sector, we are alarmed at the impending danger of guineaworm and other water-borne diseases. Not having water supply is like being at war with ourselves,’’ he lamented.  
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Executive Council at its Wednesday weekly meeting approved a paltry some of Eight million naira (8,000,000) for the celebration of the nation’s 50th Independence Anniversary billed for October, 1st, 2010.  
Disclosing this, Mr. Kawonise said the decision to use just eight million was due to financial paucity being experienced by the State government.