Residents of Igol-Ukpagada community in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State have raised alarm over the lack of access to clean drinking water, saying nearly 1,000 people depend on a muddy seasonal stream for domestic use. The situation, reported by Vanguard on March 3, has renewed calls for urgent government intervention in the rural settlement.
Community leaders said the stream serves as the only source of water for drinking, cooking and other household needs, especially during the dry season when water scarcity worsens. They warned that the condition has exposed residents, particularly women, children and the elderly, to serious health risks associated with untreated surface water.
Chief Emmanuel Idagu, a community leader, said residents have no alternative source of water and are forced to fetch from the muddy stream daily. He described the situation as severe during the dry season and said repeated appeals for help had yet to yield results. According to him, the absence of potable water has left the community vulnerable to illness and hardship. Another resident, Peter Moshem, said the community has for years struggled without a functional borehole despite its population and civic participation. He said residents had hoped for relief after a manual borehole was installed during the administration of former Governor Donald Duke, but the facility reportedly worked only intermittently before becoming non-functional.
The residents said the lack of potable water has become a public health concern, as many households cannot afford sachet water and are left with no choice but to use untreated water from the stream. They warned that prolonged dependence on the source could worsen living conditions in the area if no intervention is made. The community is now appealing to the Cross River State Government, development agencies and humanitarian organisations to provide a sustainable water solution. Residents said access to safe drinking water is a basic necessity and urged authorities not to ignore their plight.
