From Ochei Matthew, Asaba
Delta State Commissioner for Water Resources, Okenmor Fidelis Tilije, has said that state government expended the sum of N19 billion on the Warri Effurun Water Scheme since 1993 without the facility functioning for a day.
Tilije said that from the projections, additional N13 billion is needed to complete the water scheme. He added that because of paucity of funds government had opted to complete the project through a private public partnership.
Sir Tilije made this known yesterday at a ministerial press briefing in Asaba.
He assured Deltans of potable water, saying that water would soon be reticulated and connected to 15,500 households at a very affordable rate that would be cheaper than the price of the current sachet water.
Also at the briefing, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Mary Iyasere, disclosed that the state has concluded its plans to privatise Bendel Glass Industry, Ugheli, Uzere Cassava Processing Factory, Uzere.
According to her, for the overall benefit of the state, the state government through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has set machinery in motion for the privatization Bendel Glass Industry and its housing estate and the Uzere Cassava Processing Factory.
Iyasere noted that the processes would come into effect before the end of first quarter of 2017, adding that the Trade Fair Complex is also to be developed to become a trade exhibition centre all year round.
On local government source of revenue, Iyasere said that government has approved over N1 billion for the construction of modern market at Orerokpe in Okpe local government, Owa-Alero in Ika North-east and Bomadi in Bomadi local government areas respectively.
She said: “The various constractors have mobilized to site and work is at various stages of completion with a view to opening up commercial activities in the rural areas of the state, now since local government are not carrying out their functions because of poor allocation accruing to them as regard to construction of market
“But for the collection of revenue, I think we won’t have a problem with local government council. Our ministry has awarded contracts to three consultancy firms to enumerate and collect revenue from business premises in the three senatorial districts of the state on behalf of the state government.”
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