"Once Upon A Time In Enugu": Controversy Surrounds Multi-Billion Water Infrastructure Amid Ongoing Taps Scarcity

Public outrage and political debates have resurfaced across Enugu State following viral imagery of Governor Peter Mbah turning on a public tap during the official commissioning of the state's urban water scheme.

​The images capture the ceremonial launch of the 9th Mile and Oji River water schemes, an ambitious infrastructure project aimed at supplying up to 120 million liters of potable water daily to the Enugu metropolis. Governor Mbah had originally pledged to solve Enugu’s decades-long water scarcity within 180 days of assuming office, declaring at the commissioning ceremony that pipe-borne water had returned to Coal City.

​However, critics and civic groups have pointed out that despite massive budgetary allocations running into billions of naira for water treatment plants and solar-powered galleries, many residential areas, including Independence Layout, Abakpa, and Trans-Ekulu, continue to suffer from dry taps. Residents report that reliance on commercial water tankers remains widespread, with costs continuing to place a heavy burden on household budgets.

As political stakeholders and local traders question the pace of delivery relative to the public funds spent, pressure continues to mount on the administration to complete reticulation networks and ensure running water reaches every doorstep across the state.