Lawmaker provides water for 21 rural communities

Twenty one rural communities in Cross River have been provided with portable water by Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe (PDP – Cross River) within the last one year.

Agom-Jarigbe who represents Cross River North senatorial District, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Calabar while reeling out his scorecard as a Senator in the last one year.

While describing his journey as a Senator as the longest in history of the state, Agom-Jarigbe said his passion to serve the people in different capacities was his motivating factor.

"Indeed, this September makes me one year in the Senate. I was inaugurated in the Upper Legislative Chamber on Sept.15, 2021 after much political tussles.

"It was not an easy battle to the Senate because I fought against the state that was determined to have its way by hook or by crook," he stated.

He said before his intervention in water projects that cut across five Local Government Areas, the people lacked access to water supply and as such, experienced perennial water shortage.

According to him, "I was challenged in this area because these are communities who have previously decried the perennial water shortage and lack of access to safe drinking water. They were abandoned to their fate by the government of the state.

"Rural water project is primarily meant to fulfill the basic needs of the people and to ensure rights of access to safe domestic water, good health hygiene and other basic amenities by the affected communities."

Agom-Jarigbe, who said he had projects scattered across the 54 wards in the senatorial district, said his dream of uplifting the standard of living of the people remained unwavering even in the face of paucity of fund at the federal level.

The senator noted that he had been able to influence the construction of the 65km Okuku-Ecumoga Road that linked the state at Yala Local Government to Benue State.

"The flag off of the project which was awarded at a cost of N1.4bn by the Federal Government, would open up economic activities between the two states and also serve as a link to northern part of the country

"There is also the 2 Kilometres Ikaptang-Aafrike road that would link Bekwarra and Ogoja communities in Cross River.

"We have again asked for an intervention on the Ukelle road and it's under consideration at the moment," he stated.