AKURE — Hopes for a permanent end to decades of acute water scarcity in Ondo State have been significantly brightened, following the arrival of critical industrial equipment and the first batch of high-grade ductile iron pipes for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Owena Multipurpose Dam.
Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, inspected the consignment delivered by CGC Nigeria Limited at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure. The milestone marks a decisive transition from political pledges to tangible infrastructure delivery under the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project and the Akure Urban Water Supply Project.
Fulfilling a Legacy Promise
The ambitious water scheme—backed by strategic counterpart funding and partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB)—is designed to permanently tackle perennial water shortages.
Inspecting the heavy-duty machinery, which includes specialized valves, couplings, discharge hardware, backwash pumps, and vacuum ventilators sourced directly from China, Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasized his administration’s ironclad resolve to leave behind lasting infrastructure.
“We want to deliver this as soon as possible. Our time here is tenured. I want to deliver a legacy project for our people, based on the promises we made during our election campaign. We don’t want to make these promises without fulfilment,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
The governor recalled that the comprehensive project was officially flagged off at the dam site on December 9, 2025, following the administration’s historic approval of vital counterpart funds to unlock international development credit lines. He charged the project contractor, CGC Nigeria Limited, to maintain strict adherence to project timelines and top-tier technical specifications.
Massive Scope Across Seven LGAs
According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Public Sanitation and Hygiene, the first phase of the intervention will transform public health and commercial viability across seven local government areas, covering six councils within the Central Senatorial District alongside Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo in the Southern Senatorial District.
The engineering blueprint encompasses:
- The complete overhaul and re-commissioning of production facilities at the Owena Water Treatment Plant.
- Laying an 800mm ductile iron transmission pipeline stretching directly into Akure township.
- Construction of a brand-new major reservoir at Oke Aro.
- Extensive distribution networks and the total rehabilitation of three auxiliary township reservoirs at Okebola.
The Administrative Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Victoria Adetoye, noted that the physical arrival of the equipment has shattered widespread skepticism surrounding the feasibility of the colossal project.
“Majority of people thought this was impossible. But here we are witnessing it live. By this time next year, by God’s grace, every one of us will be taking water in our own abode,” Adetoye enthused.
Contractor Assures Timely Delivery
On his part, the Managing Director of CGC Nigeria Limited, Wang Peng, expressed delight over the seamless arrival of the logistics consignment. He gave a firm assurance to the state government that the execution team would scale up field activities to guarantee delivery on schedule without compromising on quality or safety standards.
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With the physical components now stationed in Akure and rigorous multi-agency supervision underway, residents in the beneficiary local government areas are closer than ever to experiencing reliable, clean, and sustainable pipe-borne water in their homes.