Mr Elijah Ateki, the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa, has bemoaned the scarcity of portable water in the area.

Ateki told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Otuoke on Sunday that lack of drinking water was the major problem in the community.

According to him, the situation was due to the pollution of rivers in the area by oil spilage.

He said the community had suffered inadequate portable water over the years, and urged the State and Federal Governments to remedy the situation.

“Otuoke community depends on rivers and now that all the rivers are polluted by oil, it is difficult for us to get portable water here,” Ateki said.

Emmanuel Agede, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the area, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation and called for government’s intervention.

“You will not believe it that here in Otuoke, we use water from an unused suck-away pit dug near our lodge, for washing clothes and bathing.

“For cooking and drinking, we buy sachet water; life is very difficult here; we spend the bulk of our monthly allowances on water for survival.”