WATER FOR ALL: Soun commissions 20 of 50 borehole projects

WATER FOR ALL: Soun commissions 20 of 50 borehole projects

Yinka ADETUNJI

Twenty communities in Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Surulere local government areas of Oyo state are to be richer in water provision as the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III Wednesday commissioned twenty (manual) boreholes in the areas.

The benefitting communities in Ogbomoso South according to a press statement by Rev’d Peter Olaleye Special Assistant on Media and Community Relations to Oba Olaoye obtained by ogbomosoinsightonline.com are Papa Abede, Gomal area, Sawmill Adeleke, Oja Jango, California, Irewolede, Aiyelomo community, Oke Alapata,Olopemarun, Arowomole, Akata, Yaku, Baale Yaku and Odo-koto.

In Ogbomoso North areas such as Bolanta, Sabo, Okelerin, Iyana Ogojo and Ewe compound (also in Okelerin) benefitted while Gambari town is the only beneficiary in Surulere local government in this phase.

The borehole projects facilitated by Oba Olaoye were executed by a friend of the Oba, an indigene of Osogbo in Osun state, Mr. Abiodun Ponnle, which he undertook in memory of his mother, Engr. Mrs. Comfort Olufunke Ponnle.

Speaking at the event Oba Olaoye urged inhabitants on proper use of the boreholes.and safeguarding them, noting, “they are your properties now. When I just arrived on the throne, I made efforts to ensure that every house in Ogbomoso have access to potable water and I raised ₦80 million, but because of hostility for Soun and development of Ogbomoso, some people went to the waterworks and destroyed everything that we had spent over ₦80m on.”

He informed it was because of that he decided “on the choice of borehole drilling. For now, we have the plan of drilling 50 boreholes an

d with the support of our friends we have succeeded in drilling 20 manual and 4 motorized, others would be completed very soon.

Rev’d Peter Olaleye, also stated motorized boreholes will be located at the following communities: Jabata, Iwofin, Oloo, Ajaawa among others, stressing the “project shall cover the five local government areas of Ogbomosoland.” Meanwhile those of Jabata, Iwofin and Oolo are already completed as that of Ajaawa is about to.

The monarch has been committed to provision of potable water beginning his reign with a determined effort to resuscitate the Ogbomoso Water Works but the project suffered major setback recently as a result of vandalism at the water scheme suspected to be orchestrated by saboteurs.