By Precious Ahiakwo-Ovie
Motivated by the need to provide access to safe drinking water, which is very critical to human health, Rotary Club of Effurun, Delta State has commissioned its water project for the 3 Battalion Nigeria Army Barracks Mammy Market, a settlement of thousands of people.
The project, officially commissioned by the commanding officer 3 Battalion Nigeria Army, Major S.M. Bala, represented by the officer in charge of the barracks maintenance unit (BMU) Maj. Harrison Olumeka is aimed at encouraging good health and well-being among men, women, and children living in the barrack.
Speaking at the commissioning, Assistant Governor Zone 16. AG Mfon Otitte-Douglas explained that the initiative by the Rotary Club of Effurun was designed to raise the awareness on the importance of purified and adequate water intake, as part of a healthy and active lifestyle.
“Access to safe drinking water will create a plentiful source of low-cost refreshment throughout the day. It will encourage good health and well-being, as well as reduce tiredness, irritability and distraction that could emanate from dehydration,” she said
President Rotary Club of Effurun, Mike Enehizena explained that “The 3 water borehole projects at 3 different locations in mammy market, where the club carries out our monthly polio immunization outreach, was proposed, constructed and commissioned to help the indigent members of the settlement who cannot afford to buy water, as we celebrate Rotary International’s month of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Rotarian Mike Enehizena said “The Rotary Club of Effurun identified that people still buy water for use in the mammy market and when there is power outage as result of bad transformer, there is always water crises. This water Project it will go a long way to solve their water challenge, since it doesn’t need power. And because the people are very happy about the project, which was as a result of a feasibility study and community engagement, they have agreed to own the project”.
Commending the initiative, the officer in charge of the barracks maintenance unit (BMU) Maj. Harrison Olumeka appreciated Rotary Club for providing water free of charge for the Mammy Market.
He noted that despite the importance of safe drinking water to human health and development, millions of people still lack access to safe drinking water from an improved source especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
The officer in charge of the barracks maintenance unit (BMU) Maj. Harrison Olumeka urged the people to ensure that the water remains hygienic with prompt maintenance.
