Osun Govt To Sink 200 Boreholes, 100 Sanitation Facilities In Collaboration With EU-UNICEF

Arrangements have been concluded to sink over 200 boreholes and construct 100 sanitation and health facilities, with the Government approval of the sum of #226m as counterpart fund for the EU-UNICEF projects to be executed in Ifedayo, Ayedaade and Odo-Otin Local Government areas of the State of Osun.

Others include 11 Solar motorized boreholes, 123 handpumps in 115 Communities, 30 of 3-compartment Gender Friendly Pour flush sanitation facilities and 57 of 2-compartment shall also be erected in 51 schools and 36 health facilities.

The General Manager, Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA), Mr Posi Adiatu stated this while speaking with journalists shortly after a meeting held with the contractors on pre-bidding meeting tagged information meeting for the construction of water and sanitation facilities (phase III) noting that there is a standard template for the contracts to be awarded.

He stated that, the State Government of Osun, for openness, transparent and due process, advertised some construction jobs in the Punch and the Nation newspapers on Friday 10th of November adding that, reputable companies specialized in such constructions have been invited for the pre-biding meeting on the contracts for the expression of interest.

According to Mr Posi Adiatu, the EU-UNICEF document is voluminous which most people are not conversant with, and it may be difficult to go through it with the limited time thereby leading to the calling for a pre-biding meeting with the contractors, to explain the gray areas as well as to avoid mistakes while bidding for the contracts for the construction of boreholes and sanitation facilities.

Mr Posi Adiatu added that, with the intervention of Mr Governor, part of the fund have been used to upgrade the laboratory /”Water-Testing Equipment of the Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA) to an international standard that can cope with any demand from the water industry and to ensure availability of potable water for the consumption of the populace.

He emphasized that, pure water industries must ensure that their water are tested and certified to prove that it is good for drinking before reaching the people on the streets for consumption while urging the Students too, to come to RUWESA for the water test or analysis and pay for whatever services that are being rendered, so as to generate more revenue for the State Government.

While appreciating the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for creating an enabling environment in the State which spurred partner agencies to have keen interest and work with the State Government of Osun, he also thanked EU-UNICEF and NGOs for partnering with the State, Mr. Posi Adiatu enjoined the contractors to fulfill the necessary biding obligations when submitting their tender documents for processing.