Frustration continues to mount among residents of Delta State as the lingering water crisis deepens across both urban and rural communities. Despite being located in Nigeria’s resource-rich Niger Delta region, thousands of residents still lack reliable access to clean water, prompting calls for the scrapping of the state’s Ministry of Water Resources.
Speaking to Stone Reporters News, concerned citizens lamented that they are forced to rely on private boreholes, expensive water vendors, or contaminated streams and rivers to meet their daily water needs—raising serious public health and economic concerns.
> “Water is life. We need it to drink, bathe, cook, and wash. Yet, in Delta State, people provide water for themselves. Government has failed us,” said community leader Matthew Ugochukwu, who condemned the state’s failure to uphold one of the most basic social responsibilities.
He revealed that drilling a borehole now costs around ₦2 million, while many families spend between ₦4,000 and ₦7,000 monthly buying water that is often not even safe to consume. The crisis, he added, has led to outbreaks of waterborne diseases in several areas.
Projects Abandoned, Rural Areas Worst Hit
Despite the state government’s claims of progress, residents argue that most urban water schemes—including those in Asaba, Warri, and Ughelli—are either broken down or operating far below capacity. Rural communities are worst affected, with women and children trekking long distances daily to fetch water, exposing them to physical strain and potential danger.
Environmental experts and public health advocates blame the crisis on governance failures, infrastructure neglect, and environmental degradation. Critics argue that the Ministry of Water Resources has been largely ineffective, with several multimillion-naira projects either abandoned or poorly maintained.
> “What’s the point of funding a ministry that does nothing? That money should go to sectors that are actually working,” a frustrated resident, Mr. Smith Obododike, told Stone Reporters News.
Government Promises Action — Residents Remain Skeptical
In response to the public outcry, Dr. Isaac Wilkie, the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources, assured that efforts are underway to improve water access.
> “The Delta State government, in partnership with the Federal Government, is working on major water projects in Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku, which are expected to come on stream soon,” he said.
Wilkie added that over 80 functioning water projects currently exist across the state, including in Isoko, Emede, Ekpe-Agbaro, and Ogbe-Ogume. In Asaba, he noted, the government is rehabilitating the Okpanam and Ogbeogonogo market water schemes, which will soon become operational.
However, many residents remain unconvinced, citing decades of unfulfilled promises and lack of transparency.
> “We are already stretched thin. Buying water in these hard times is killing us,” said Mrs. Mercy Okafor, a mother of three in Asaba. She stressed that low-income families who can’t afford boreholes or buy water daily are being left behind.
Call for a Right to Water
Residents argue that access to clean water should be treated as a fundamental human right, not a luxury. With the rainy season offering only temporary relief, citizens are urging the state government to prioritise water infrastructure, improve project oversight, and take immediate action to end the crisis.
In the words of Ugochukwu, “We’re not asking for too much—just clean water. If the Ministry of Water Resources can’t provide that, it should be disbanded.”
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By Stone Reporters News
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