In elementary science, we were taught that water is a universal solvent — capable of dissolving countless solutes. But its universality is not the crux of this piece; rather, it is water’s indispensability in the affairs of man.
Again, in social studies, we were taught that water is one of the most important basic necessities of life, alongside food, clothing, shelter, security, healthcare, and education. One can survive without clothes, food, shelter, or even light for a while — but surviving without water is nearly impossible.
Studies — or better put, common knowledge — show that a healthy adult can survive 30 to 60 days without food (provided there is access to water), but only 3 to 7 days without water.
For those of us who lived in rural communities and experienced droughts, scarcity, and water shortages, it was a great relief when Senator Jarigbe Agom announced his intention to install 26 solar-powered boreholes across communities in the northern senatorial district. Back in the day, we trekked long distances to fetch water. And to get clean water, we often had to wake up before the cock crowed (around 4 a.m.) — the very hour our elders said spirits returned from their nightly activities.
Today, in semi-urban areas like Igoli, Abakpa, Okuku, Yahe, Okpoma, and Obudu, most households still rely heavily on well water. In fact, there is no functional public water supply system or urban water scheme in the entire northern senatorial district. The dams in Ijegu and Obudu have become mere conduit pipes for financial embezzlement, while the water reservoir at Okpoma in Yala LGA has remained nonfunctional since inception.
Currently, the main sources of water in the northern senatorial district are wells, ponds, brooks, streams, and rainwater ( most of which are seasonal). With the commissioning of 26 solar-powered boreholes later in the day, many communities will finally be freed from the manacles of water scarcity, gaining access to clean and safe drinking water.
Sen. Jarigbe Agom deserves commendation for this noble project. No single individual has sunk as many boreholes as he has in Cross River State. By comparison, in the entire Calabar metropolis, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has only seven solar-powered boreholes. Only four out of the seven are functional. The rest belong to the state government and corporate organizations. Again, the Senator was quite discretional for choosing solar powered boreholes over electric powered ones because of its cost effectiveness, reliability, durability, energy dependent, easy to maintain and sustainability.
As I commend the Senator for this laudable initiative, let me, on behalf of my community Ijegu Ojor, humbly appeal that our community be considered in the next phase of this project.
Comr. Ogar Emmanuel Oko
Rabbit Punch
Writes from Lekki
Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, and does not represent TheLumineNews, its agent or the organization the author works for.
