The Enugu State Government has vowed to prosecute any water tanker driver found engaging in illegal activities and destroying water facilities in the state.

Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, gave the warning in a meeting with the leadership of water tanker drivers in Enugu on Wednesday at the Government House.

Mr Onyia noted that in spite of Governor Peter Mbah’s effort to make water available to Enugu people, some few elements suspected to be water tanker drivers were sabotaging it by destroying the water assets.

He said their illegal activities constituted economic sabotage given the huge amount the government had invested in the water project.

The SSG explained that what the state government was doing was not to put tanker drivers out of business but to expand the scope where there would be other opportunities for tanker drivers.

“But it has come to our attention that a few people pointing to your members were involved in the act of sabotaging our water infrastructure.

“We have found some places where they mixed concrete and poured into our pipelines, broke some of them while some water collection points were loosened and taken away.

“So governor asked me to inform you people that in an event that any of your members is involved in it and when we arrest the person, we will confiscate his tanker and prosecute him with the full weight of law,” Mr Onyia said.

He stressed that the meeting was to enable them to communicate their resolutions to their members.

“We are intentional because of short-term benefit destroying those infrastructure and I am sure none of you here will condone or accept that. So we can work together and make the water business viable.”

Mr Onyia also informed them that Enugu State Water Sector Law which was passed in September 2023 gave them a timeline to colour coat their tankers to reflect who was carrying drinking water and industrial water.

“The skyblue colour is for drinking water tankers while the industrial water tanker driver will colour theirs with yellow with inscriptions boldly written on it “Drinking Water Supply” and “Industrial Water Supply” respectfully,” he said.

He expressed dismay that some tanker drivers bring water from anywhere and sell to people as drinking water, saying that Mr Mbah would not condone that anymore.

“There is going to be an enforcement team from the state ministry of water resources that will randomly stop tankers after colour coated the tankers in line with the law to check the quality of the water.

“Since they are not aware of the law, they should liaise with the Commission for Water Resource, Dr Felix Nnamani, to train them on the law and see how to extend the deadline a bit to enable them comply,” he stressed.

(NAN)