The Abia State Government has set up an emergency management team to tackle the contamination of drinking water in Ohanso, Ukwa East Local Government Area, following reports of crude oil seepage into the community’s water sources.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.
According to him, the team, led by the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Professor Joel Ogbonna, has been mandated to urgently provide potable water for residents and recommend lasting solutions to the threat.
The State Ministry of Health has also been directed to investigate the health risks posed by hydrocarbons and determine how residents may have been affected after consuming the contaminated water.
Kanu said the swift intervention reflects the government’s “compassionate governance style and philosophy to provide immediate solutions to communities that are under danger in any way or form.”
Professor Ogbonna explained that the intervention followed a report of a man who, after digging a borehole in Ohanso, discovered substances suspected to be crude oil in the water. Subsequent checks confirmed that the community’s drinking water was contaminated, prompting the state’s emergency response.
Beyond the environmental issue, the State Executive Council also approved new measures to promote cultural identity. Members of the State Executive Council will now be required to wear traditional outfits every first Monday of the month, while civil servants in the state are to do so every Friday.
Kanu said the decision was aimed at showcasing local craftsmanship, bridging cultural gaps, and reinforcing Igbo identity. “We are aware that there is an ongoing cultural revolution in the state and we are putting on our locally made fabrics as one way of strengthening the cultural revolution,” he said.
The Commissioner further revealed that earthworks have commenced at the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP), following the payment of compensation to all affected landowners. Regulatory approvals have also been secured by HSI Energies, the firm behind the Modular Refinery project at the park.
Meanwhile, ongoing infrastructure development continues across the state, with 55 road construction, reconstruction, and maintenance projects currently underway through direct labour.
Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, were also present at the briefing.
