By Rhoda Godwin, Yenagoa
An indigenous oil firm, First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (First E & P), on Thursday donated a solar powered water project to Koluama 1 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The Project is expected to provide the people and their environ with portable water to reduce cases of water borne diseases.
It is reported that the oil firm executed the project with KEFFES Rural Development Foundation.
KEFFES is an acronym for Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town; Ekeni, and Sangana oil-rich communities located along the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa.
Speaking at the hand over ceremony, Mr Gerald Amakiri representative of First E and P, said the solar project was a pilot test and that it would be replicated in all the host communities.
“Fela in his popular song says: ‘water no get enemy’, so, we are hoping that this water will bring unity to this community.
”We are hoping that as you drink from the borehole, sickness will varnish, there will be more prosperity to Koluama 1, the women, youths, boys and girls,“ Makiri said.
Receiving the project, Mr Matthew Sele-epri, Chairman, KEFFES Rural Development Foundation, thanked First E and P and NNPC for the kind gesture but asked that three additional points be built in the pilot scheme in Koluama 1.
Sele-epri, who was represented by Moses Theophilus, Kenibara VII, traditional ruler of Moko-Ama Sangana Kingdom, also appealed that the project should be replicated in all KEFFES communities.
He noted that it was the first in KEFFES rural communities.
”If you can recall that all our communities are surrounded by water but portable water to drink is a problem.
“And today as God may have it, First E and P have been able to deliver on the social development obligation and so we want to appreciate First E & P for this kind and proactive intervention.
“We are still demanding that this should be replicated in all the communities and all the KEFFES host communities because that is the only way we can see the goodness of this,” he said.
Sele-epri said the project should be replicated in all the communities, adding that it would not be good to expect the whole community coming to Kouama 1 to fetch water.
