The commitment of the Ogun State Government to ensure improved power supply to residents of the state capital, Abeokuta and its environs, has received a boost with the approval of a multi-lateral fund to upgrade water facilities by the French Development Agency (AFD).

Country Director of the agency in Nigeria, Mr. Olivier Delefosse, who was in the state for the final monitoring of water schemes, disclosed this in Abeokuta and assured that work would soon commence on schemes that would meet this target.

“We are very eager to commence the project and very soon the French Ambassador will be here to commission the projects. We are committed to delivering world-class water facilities to the people of Ogun State,” Delefosse added.

The AFD director also maintained that the project would replace most of the water equipment and infrastructure that were provided over 60 years ago and which are now obsolete and can no longer meet the water needs of the residents.

Conducting the AFD team round the water facilities, General Manager of the state’s Water Corporation, Engr. (Mrs.) Monsurat Agboola, explained that unlike the World Bank assisted water projects, which were spread across the six major water schemes in the state, in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Papalanto, Sagamu, Ogere and Apoje, the AFD project would only focus on Abeokuta and its environs, because Abeokuta business area is the cash cow of the corporation.

“Our plan is to concentrate on Abeokuta, being the capital city of the state and get return on investment before replicating it at other schemes in the state,” Agboola stated.

She noted that the projects would increase the coverage areas of water pipeline network, develop the capacity of the corporations staff and upgrade the infrastructure, saying that the project would also involve the construction of more reservoirs for water storage, constructing of more pumping lines and ultimately guarantee return on investment, through improve revenue generation.

Agboola revealed that the project management consultants that would do the preliminary work for the AFD assisted project have since commenced work at the corporation’s headquarters.

She also said the corporation’s staff that would work on the project are getting acquainted with the contract documents.

•Photo shows Ogun Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

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