March 27, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has commenced the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Buruku/Gboko Water Supply Scheme in Benue State, a project expected to provide potable water to an estimated 506,000 residents and reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.
Minister of Water Resources and Environment, Engr. Joseph Utsev, who performed the groundbreaking ceremony at the Gboko Water Treatment Plant in Ameladu on Thursday, said the initiative was part of efforts to accelerate access to clean water and meet national and international development targets.
According to him, the project involves the resuscitation of the vandalized waterworks at Ameladu and Mkar in Gboko Local Government Area, as well as the Buruku Water Supply Scheme. Water will be extracted from the Katsina Ala River through an intake structure at the riverbank and transported over a distance of about 17km for treatment and distribution to Gboko, Mkar, and surrounding communities.
“This intervention is aimed at job creation, economic stimulation, and overall improvement in the quality of life for our citizens. The project, approved by the Federal Executive Council under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, has been awarded to Messrs Ceylon Construction Services Ltd at a cost of N18.89 billion, with an expected completion period of 18 months,” Utsev said.
The minister described the initiative as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to providing essential services in line with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the project, initially conceived as the Gboko-Yandev Water Supply System, has been rebranded as the Buruku/Gboko Water Supply Project and is situated about 70 to 90 kilometers southeast of Makurdi.
Utsev urged the contractors to ensure timely and efficient delivery of the project to maximize the value of resources invested.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, represented by his deputy, Dr. Sam Ode, lauded the initiative, saying the resuscitation of the long-abandoned project underscores Tinubu’s commitment to citizens’ welfare through access to clean water.
He disclosed that his administration had also awarded contracts worth N1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Katsina-Ala and Otobi waterworks.
During a visit to his hometown in Ugbema, Buruku Local Government Area, Utsev also flagged off the construction of a mega water project designed to supply water to over 500,000 residents, along with the Dura Dam, which is expected to support irrigation and future hydroelectric power generation.
