A nongovernmental organisation, the Legionnaire For Mankind's Health, LMH, founded by the Netherlands-based Prof. Prof Ernst Josef Franzek, has commissioned a multimillionaire borehole water project in the riverine Sandfill 2 Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, in its bid to ameliorate the plight of inhabitants of the riverine settlement by giving them access to potable water.

The borehole water project, sited in the middle of the community, was commissioned by a special guest, the Founder of ACES Entrepreneur Network, Cynthia Perediseghabofa Lekekumo, on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

"I am humbled to be a part of the commissioning of this project because, indeed, it's an intervention for mankind. The people actually need this and I want to add my voice to thank the initiator of this project because it's a life-changing intervention and my thanks goes to them. It's a good one," lekekumo said after the commissioning.

The Sandfill 2 Community, under Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom and Isaba Kingdom, is made up of eight sub-communities namely Oyinowei, Dukonghan, Pere-Ogbo, Akpotelemo, G.R.A., Ogbogbene 1, Ogbogbene 2, and Oweigbene.

The borehole water project, according to the Technical Director, Uche Abiodun, which has a single tank, comes with a 1HP Solar powered pumping machine which runs at 4,000 rpm (revolution per minute), a 330 watts solar panels of four pieces that produces a total of 2.7kwh (kilo watts hour), operational from morning till evening, with an automatic floating switch that triggers the off button when the tank is filled.

The Founder of the Legionnaire For Mankind's Health, represented by the Local Organizing Officer, Mr. Patrick Padiayefagha, advised members of the community to, as a show of appreciation, jealousy safeguard the project (which cost a lot of money to build) from vandalization and improper use.

Prof. Franzek, who said the borehole is "one of the first project to empower people in Delta State", thanked all those who supported the project to come to light and re-emphasised that the people take good care of the facility in their domain.

Mr. Padiayefagha also called on the government and other humanitarian organisations to join hands in partnership with the LMH in order to reach more vulnerable Deltans and Nigerians alike, who are in need of basic amenities.

Reacting to the commissioning of the borehole water project in his opening address, Mr. Opukeme David, an inhabitant of the community said the people have been anticipating such a project but such never came.

"We have been expecting this kind of project but we did not see it coming from any angle like Delta State Government, even from our Local Government that we belong to, called Warri South-West L.G.A."

Also speaking at the commissioning, Comr. Julius Kenedabor, said, "We have been having different kinds of NGOs all over the country but no one remembers to come to this place. But we were surprised when we woke up one morning and met Legionnaires for Mankind's Health and uts entourage, to give us water to drink."

While he thanked the LMH for its kind gesture, Comr. Kenedabor further lamented the neglect of the communities by the various arms of government despite the people casting their votes for political candidates over the years, just as he called on the government to rise up to its public responsibilities by emulating the LMH.

Other members of Sandfill 2 in their comments thanked the NGO for its life-changing intervention in their lives, as they further appealed to the organization to not end with the water project but to also assist them with other yearning infrastructural projects like landing jetty and public toilet among others.

Officials of LMH that were present during the commissioning include Uche Abiodun (Technical Director), Precious Idogun (Head of Resources Management 1), Anita Donju (Head of Resources Management 2), Kelvin Iyke (Supervisor 1), Winnie Imiemene (Secretary), Amanda Uroju (Welfare), Favour Ogelegbanwei (Assistant Survey Coordinator), Adeola Adesiyon (Skill Acquisition Coordinator), and Kemes Mala (Assistant School Project Coordinator).

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