The Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET), an umbrella coalition of civil society organisations operating in Kogi State, has expressed grave concern over reports surrounding the alleged auctioning and proposed removal of public waterworks equipment across several communities in the state, amidst ongoing water scarcity.
In a formal press statement issued in Lokoja and signed by its Chairperson, Hamza Ibrahim Aliyu, the civil society coalition emphasized that public water facilities constitute essential social assets maintained through public resources. KONGONET maintained that decisions to declare such assets obsolete, dispose of them, or strip their components must adhere strictly to lawful authority, independent technical evaluations, transparent valuation processes, and clear protection of public interest.
Highlighting a series of troubling developments, the coalition recalled media accounts from July 2024 concerning a disputed auction of equipment at the Dekina–Anyigba and Ajetachi water facilities. At the time, the State Commissioner for Water Resources reportedly initiated due diligence and sought relevant documentation for transactions said to have originated under a previous administration. Further concerns emerged in September 2026, when residents and local leaders in Yagba East Local Government Area questioned proposed equipment removals from the Isanlu Water Scheme.
KONGONET also pointed to emerging reports regarding the Akwu Water Works in Ankpa Local Government Area. A September 2026 civil society report referenced a Ministry of Water Resources letter dated September 21, 2026, accompanied by a proposed disposal list that reportedly included a 100 kVA generator and an overhead tank. The coalition noted that the Ankpa Local Government Council Chairman had separately inspected the abandoned site, calling for the protection and recovery of its assets. While acknowledging that it has not independently verified the original correspondence, physical inventory, condition assessments, or actual equipment removals, KONGONET stressed that the cumulative reports warrant a thorough and urgent investigation.
The network clarified that while these reports raise critical questions, they do not automatically establish criminal liability or prove that every disposal was unlawful, nor do they attribute all regional water disruptions entirely to asset removal. Other contributing factors, including power outages, aging infrastructure, vandalism, operational gaps, and fiscal constraints, must also be evaluated to establish a clear picture of state water administration.
Addressing the socioeconomic impact of system failures, KONGONET highlighted that unreliable public supply forces households into higher expenditure on private vendors, long journeys for water collection, lost productivity, and heightened exposure to unsafe water sources. While commending the Kogi State Government’s October 2026 announcement regarding emergency rehabilitation works at the Greater Lokoja Water Works, the group insisted that citizens across all affected LGAs require measurable restoration timelines and sustained intervention.
To resolve the issue and safeguard public utilities, KONGONET outlined six key demands directed at state authorities and investigative agencies:
First, the coalition urged state authorities to immediately secure disputed waterworks equipment and records in Akwu, Ankpa, Isanlu, and Dekina–Anyigba, while temporarily halting further equipment removals pending a comprehensive independent inventory.
Second, the group requested the full public disclosure within 14 days of all approvals, engineering reports, asset valuations, bidding records, buyer details, and proof of revenue remittance to state accounts regarding the transactions.
Third, KONGONET called on the Kogi State House of Assembly to convene a public hearing supported by independent technical experts and auditors to inspect affected facilities, interview community stakeholders, and evaluate whether functioning equipment was improperly classified as scrap.
Fourth, the organization urged the state government to deploy interim safe water supplies to vulnerable communities and publish a funded rehabilitation plan within 30 days, featuring specific milestones, water-quality testing protocols, and monthly progress reporting for Ankpa, Isanlu, Dekina–Anyigba, and Greater Lokoja.
Fifth, where investigations reveal forged documentation, unlawful asset stripping, collusion, or diversion of proceeds, KONGONET demanded that evidence be submitted to relevant anti-corruption and law enforcement bodies for prosecution, financial recovery, and restitution in accordance with due process.
Finally, the civil society network advocated for permanent public oversight mechanisms, including the creation of a public water-infrastructure asset register, regular publication of water production and reliability data, periodic technical audits, and the active inclusion of civil society representatives in monitoring public water infrastructure and rehabilitation contracts.
Calling for swift executive and legislative intervention, KONGONET urged the State Governor, the House of Assembly, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Kogi State Water Board, and investigative organs to address the ongoing water challenges as urgent matters of public health, financial accountability, and civic dignity.
