31st August, 2023
The Oyo State Government has sought assistance from the World Bank in its efforts to provide universal access to safe drinking water and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Hon. Elias Adeojo, Executive Chairman of Oyo State Water Corporation, recently made the request at a meeting with certain bank officials at the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), Ikolaba, Ibadan.
He stated that the Oyo State government is strategically investing in the construction of safe drinking water infrastructure by not just boosting financing but also putting in place capacities to plan, coordinate, and control service provision.
Adeojo further highlighted that providing potable water is capital-intensive but not profit-oriented, as the firm cannot charge users for manufacturing costs.
“The Oyo State Government has invested heavily in water facilities across the state,” Hon. Adeojo stated, “but still requires external support, such as World Bank grants.”
He also emphasised that power, a crucial aspect that drives the corporation’s facilities, is at a low and must be supplemented with hydropower.
According to the chairman, a new technology known as hydrogen power, which can also be marketed for the corporation’s sustainability, will be implemented.
Adeojo stated that the new policy will benefit the corporation, especially because the federal government is planning to remove power generation from its exclusive list.
In separate responses, Mr. Francis Nkoka, task team leader for the IUFMP World Bank office in Malawi, and Mr. Tochi Sinoda, World Bank office in Washington, DC, promised to assess the state government’s requests for potable water but added that the issue of dealing with floods in the state is relevant to the residents of the state.
The duo then urged the corporation’s management to develop a partnership between the State Ministry of Environment and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to successfully combat the state’s flood scourge.
Top corporate officials, IUFMP officials, and World Bank officials attended the meeting.