The HYPREP overhead water tank at the Gwara Water Project in Rivers State’s Khana Local Government Area has collapsed just four days after it was inaugurated.
Residents are furious about the situation and have severe concerns about how the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) is being carried out.
The facility was built to give the residents of the Gwara community sustainable drinkable water following decades of environmental pollution and neglect. It was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with HYPREP as part of the ongoing Ogoni clean-up and community support initiative.
According to other eyewitnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity, the structure fell way abruptly, causing the tank and metal frame to fall to the ground. As of the time of publication, no fatalities had been reported.
However, many voiced dissatisfaction and worries about the calibre of the contractors’ work.
They express worry that the fall might indicate more serious infrastructure flaws in recently completed projects.
“This was supposed to bring relief to us after so many years of suffering without clean water. Now look at what has happened in less than one week,” a resident lamented, urging authorities to conduct a thorough probe.
Residents have also called on the President Bola Tinubu-led government and HYPREP to ensure full accountability, review the standards applied in the project’s construction, and immediately mobilise efforts to rebuild the facility.
They warned that the collapse represents a setback to the long-awaited promise of safe drinking water for Ogoni communities, which have been affected by decades of oil pollution.
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