A frontline environmental and non-governmental organisation (NGO), Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation under its Strengthening Local Advocacy Against Climate Change (SLACC) initiative, and funded by the Independent Global Stocktake, Climate Works Foundation, and the West African Science Centre for Adapted Landuse (WASCAL) among others, has drilled a borehole in Ohatekwe Edda community in Abakaliki LGA of Ebonyi State to address the dire water need of the agrarian community.
Dr Kelechukwu Okezie, the Executive Director of the organisation described the completion and use of the project as a remarkable feat in the history of the Ohatekwe Edda community, as the community has shown remarkable interest in conserving the existing forests and hence contributed to mitigating the impact of climate change.
He said: "Today, we stand to fulfil a promise made to you to install a hand pump borehole in appreciation of your commitment to protecting your environment and contributing to climate change mitigation through tree planting.
"This project is part of our ' Strengthening Local Advocacy Against Climate Change (SLACC)' project; an initiative funded by our sponsors Independent Global Stocktake, Climate Works Foundation, and the West African Science Centre for Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) among others.
"The SLACC project aims to enhance community resilience by strengthening local advocacy against climate change.
"This includes supporting local farmers and communities in adapting to climate variability and building community resilience to climate change.
"Our interventions, such as the training sessions, biogas installations, tree planting, and provision of a borehole, are designed to promote sustainable living and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
"We chose Ohatekwe Edda for this project because of your community's remarkable commitment to sustaining our initiatives over the years and that water is a felt need of the people. Your acceptance and care for our projects have been exemplary, demonstrating a strong sense of community ownership and responsibility.
"This level of engagement is crucial for long-term success and sustainability of our environment."
He emphasized that community involvement can never just be about participation; but also involves empowerment programmes to address the needs of the people and attract development.
He noted that the community people embracing the group's initiative helped in shaping the solutions tailored to their unique challenges.
"This level of engagement is essential for creating lasting impacts and ensuring that our projects are truly community-driven.
"Water is life. As you drink and utilise water from this borehole, may it usher in good health, development and prosperity to this community," Okezie added.
Commenting, the Traditional Ruler of the Ohatekwe Edda community, Eze Godwin Nwankwegu appreciated the NGO for attracting the borehole to their community. He stressed that "water is a dire need of the community and adjoining villages," stating that before the project, the people relied on surface poorly procured local dam called ''okpuru" for their source of water and saying that the water gets contaminated and coloured, especially during the dry seasons. He said that since the drilling of the borehole, people now come from over 15km to fetch water and called for more of such project in his community while promising to continue to work to ensure that climate change impact is mitigated for the benefit of the state and entire humanity.
Commissioning the project, the community leader and one-time Enyidda Development Centre Coordinator, Chief Michael Udenwe lauded the project of Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation and called on the state government and other humanitarian organisations to emulate the NGO by continuing to offer help and support to the community realising its water challenges.
A woman leader, Mrs Nkweagu expressed gratitude over the project, saying the borehole has come to alleviate lots of problems women and children face in getting water for their domestic use. She assured that the women would work to ensure that the borehole serves the people very well and prayed for more boreholes to alleviate the water needs of the women in the community.
