In its bid to expand water accessibility to new areas as well as revitalize existing water infrastructure that have been neglected in the past, the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun has begun a new evaluation plan to expand the reach of public water supply across the state.

To this end, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, embarked on a statewide technical assessment tour to evaluate the functionality and efficiency of key water supply infrastructures.

The latest phase of the tour covered several communities in Ogun East Senatorial District, including Ijebu Imusin, Odonopa, Ijebu Ife, Iwopin, Itele, Oni, Ibiade, and Abigi. 

According to Otubanjo,  the ongoing assessment  is also aimed at ascertaining the operational status of the existing water facilities, identifying systemic bottlenecks, and developing sustainable, forward-looking solutions for enhancing water delivery to both urban and rural populations.

She emphasized the unwavering commitment of the Governor to ensuring universal access to safe and potable water, saying “access to clean water is not a privilege, but a fundamental human right. Our focus is on impactful service delivery, ensuring we leave no community behind."

Otubanjo assured that the tour will be followed by the necessary action plan by the State Government to put the affected facilities to optimal use in line with the  Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) which focuses on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Also speaking during the inspection tour, the Consultant to the Governor on Water,  Alhaja Muinat Jaji noted that while some facilities are operational,   others are not but could be easily restored to full capacity among which are Odonopa water facility in Ijebu Imusin, which requires a solar-powered borehole, others demand more intensive intervention.

She cited the Abigi Package Plant, commissioned in 1984 by Brigadier Oladipo Diya, saying the plant requires a new borehole and solar power infrastructure to function optimally, whereas  facilities in areas such as Itele, Iwopin, Ogun Waterside, and Ijebu Imusin were found to be in such a state of disrepair that a complete overhaul or reconstruction would be more practical than rehabilitation.

It would be recalled that there have similar visits to Ijebu Ode, Ikangba, Yemoji, Ogere, and Ilisan, as well as a prior inspection of major water schemes in Ogun West Senatorial District, encompassing Ilaro, Owode, Ajilete, Iboro, and Ota.