Residents and traders in parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers State have commended the Port Harcourt Water Corporation (PHWC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for providing water and sanitation facilities aimed at improving access to clean water and promoting public health.
The commendations came on Wednesday during an inspection tour of water and sanitation facilities by the corporation and members of the African Development Bank (AfDB), which is supporting the project. During the tour, beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the facilities provided in their communities and markets.
At Rumumasi Market, traders and service providers commended the construction of a toilet facility nearing completion, expressing optimism that it would address the challenge of inadequate sanitation and reduce the risk of infections.
A wheelbarrow pusher, Alozie Onyema, said the new facility would discourage people from urinating in public spaces, noting that the old facility was no longer useful.
“The old toilet wey dey here is useless. So as una come now, we will not forget you. As this toilet dey here now, we no dey go dey piss for road again. Make God bless una,” he said.
Alozie Onyema, commends PHWC for the initiative
Onyema assured the project team that the facility would be taken care of, with designated personnel expected to oversee its maintenance.
A charcoal seller, Blessing Eke, also expressed appreciation for the project, saying, “As una take una heart do this one, Almighty God go bless una. Make Una continue the good work.”
Similarly, traders at Rumuadolu Market praised the provision of a borehole, saying it had eased the difficulties they previously encountered in accessing water for their businesses and domestic needs.
The market leaders disclosed that personnel have been designated for its coordination, alongside security arrangements to prevent vandalism.
At Rumuola, a woman leader in the community, Mrs Beatrice Amadi, described the water facility as a welcome development, noting that it provides access to treated water at an affordable cost.
“I am very happy that Rumuola have this water here. It is pure water that they will treat and it is cheap. Other communities, they want this kind of a thing, but I am happy that God brought this thing here for us,” she said.
She commended the corporation for the initiative and assured the inspection team that the community would protect the facility
Beatrice Amadi, woman leader of Rumuola community
Speaking during the inspection tour, Assistant Project Coordinator of the Port Harcourt Water and Sanitation Projects and Production and Water Quality Manager of PHWC, Charlotte Aningenime said the exercise was part of a supervision mission by the African Development Bank to assess the project’s progress ahead of its scheduled completion in December 2026.
“We have a supervision mission with the African Development Bank that commenced yesterday, being 19th of October 2026, and it’s going to run to 23rd of this month. The purpose of this mission is to see how far we’ve gone. The project is ending in December. This is like the last mission from the bank,” she said.
Officials of African Development Bank during the inspection
Aningenime explained that the mission would enable the bank to identify areas requiring improvement and determine where additional support might be needed before the project closes on December 31, 2026.
She said the team inspected water treatment facilities, including boreholes, cascaded tanks and toilet facilities, as well as the processes involved in treating and distributing water to residents.
According to her, the project also includes three booster stations serving communities around Port Harcourt and its environs.
Water project by Port Harcout Water Corporation
Aningenime said the initiative also prioritises sanitation, with facilities provided in markets, schools and waterfront communities to address public health concerns and discourage open defecation.
“We don’t want open defecation anymore. The bank, Federal Government and Rivers State Government have come together because of the health concerns of the populace. They make sure there is sanitation in markets, in schools, in waterfronts, even waterfronts that are so difficult,” she said.
The inspection team also visited water and sanitation facilities at Rumuokwuta Market, Borokiri and Diobu, among other locations across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor.
The project is expected to improve access to treated water, expand sanitation infrastructure and address public health challenges in beneficiary communities.
