N25m Water Project in Ikirun Fails Within a Month, Residents Cry Out Over Shoddy Execution

A water project valued at N25 million and captured in the 2024 Federal Government budget for the provision of a water scheme in Ikirun, Osun State, has reportedly failed just weeks after completion, leaving residents frustrated and demanding accountability.

According to a field report by Tracka, a budget-tracking initiative, the project was monitored at the Lade community in Ikirun town, Ifelodun Local Government Area. It was observed that although a solar-powered borehole system was installed — including six solar panels, an overhead tank, and a water filter cylinder — the facility ceased to function in less than a month after it was put to use.

A local resident who spoke with Tracka explained that all efforts to reach the contractor proved futile. As a result, the community independently engaged a private engineer to diagnose the problem. The engineer concluded that the pumping machine installed by the contractor was of insufficient capacity to draw water from the borehole’s depth.

The contractor responsible for the project, Neix Track Merchant Links Limited, has come under fire for delivering what residents described as a “shoddy job.” Community members are now urging the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, which is the implementing agency for the project, to publicly disclose project details and compel the contractor to return to site to rectify the faults.

“This is a clear example of poor implementation and waste of taxpayers’ money. We demand transparency and immediate action to fix this water facility which is critical to our well-being,” said one concerned resident.

Reacting to the development, the Ikirun Development Vanguard, through its Secretary, Wasiu Qadri, strongly condemned the poor handling of the project. He called on the government to swiftly address what he described as an exploitation of vulnerable communities.

“We will no longer tolerate this kind of deceit and wastage of public funds meant for the betterment of our people,” Qadri stated. “The government must investigate this failure thoroughly, hold the contractor accountable, and ensure that the water scheme is restored to full functionality. The people of Ikirun deserve better.”

Residents say they have been left without access to clean and safe water, defeating the very purpose of the project meant to improve living conditions in the rural community.

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has yet to issue an official response to the report as of press time.

Source: Tracka