By Emeka Samuel

No fewer than fourteen persons have been reported dead in Okoroutip community in Ibeno council area of Akwa Ibom as a result of water borne diseases that broke out in the area since December last year.

This followed persistent flood that has continued to threaten the community in addition to lack of drinking water in the area.

Youth president of the community Mr. Henry Nkan told newsmen yesterday in Uyo that the people depend on existing ponds and other unsafe sources of water that flow from creeks for their daily drinking water .

” As a riverine area where there is no bush to dispose waste, the community dispose faeces and other organic substances in the water and still drink from it.

” From December last year, we have buried 14 people that died from water borne sicknesses and more would be buried as nothing is done to help us” Nkan said.

He explained that the only borehole drilled by ExxonMobil many years ago has collapsed and the well contaminated, the entire plumbing system decayed with most people helping themselves with any available water despite its unsanitary conditions.

The supervisor for Education in Ibeno local government who comes from the community Mr Isaac Williams said the people abandoned the borehole drilled by ExxonMobil when it was discovered that the water contained some dirty particles suspected to be crude oil.

Williams recalled that the water from the borehole would always turn dark within an hour confirming that it was not fit for drinking.

“The problem of water in Okoroutip community is a consequence of the terrain of the area as a result of heavy presence of oil. We are still pleading with multi national oil companies to come to our rescue by giving us good water .we believe that some day succour would come our way.” He said.

At the borehole provided to the community by ExxonMobil many years ago, it was a tale of neglect and outright abandonment as it was overgrown by weeds and other mangrove shrubs with community women hanging their washed cloths on the rusted water tank stand.

The youth leader said the situation is worsened by absence if medical facility to provide urgent treatment for victims of water related sicknesses in the area.

Nkan complained that the only Health Centre in the area constructed by the former council chairman Mrs Regina Egbe is not equipped and there was no personnel to attend to patients.

” Some health workers only come here to give immunization vaccines to our children and left but nobody to attend to patients during emergencies.” He added.

He said that lack of medical facility increased adult and infant mortality rate in the oil rich community as many people felt sick and died monthly through suspected water borne diseases.