Otukpo Residents Forced to Drink Muddy Water as Scarcity Worsens in Benue

The water crisis in Otukpo, Benue State, has reached a critical level, forcing residents to rely on muddy pools and contaminated sources for drinking water.

As the dry season intensifies, many wells and streams have dried up, leaving thousands of people without access to clean water. The situation has escalated into a humanitarian crisis, with rising cases of cholera, typhoid, and river blindness due to consumption of unsafe water.

For decades, Otukpo, the headquarters of Idoma land, has struggled with water scarcity. The town’s once-functional Otobi Water Works, designed to provide potable water, has remained abandoned for years, leading to infrastructural collapse and widespread suffering.

Women and children in urban and rural communities now embark on long treks before sunrise in search of water, often traveling to neighboring Ohimini LGA. In some areas, residents compete with animals for access to stagnant pools, while others fetch water from streams contaminated with waste.

One of the major factors worsening the crisis is Otukpo’s soil texture, which makes borehole drilling nearly impossible. The town’s rocky terrain prevents underground water from accumulating, making it difficult to extract through conventional means.

The crisis has also been attributed to:

• Neglect of the Otobi Water Works – The facility, once a lifeline for Otukpo, has suffered years of abandonment due to government inaction, lack of maintenance, and mismanagement of funds.
• Climate Change and Deforestation – Reduced rainfall and environmental degradation have dried up natural water sources, turning rivers into mere trickles during dry seasons.
• Urbanization and Overpopulation – The town’s rapid growth has led to a demand for water that far exceeds supply, yet no significant investment has been made in expanding water infrastructure.

Some residents have taken desperate measures, including drilling into the Ukplo River in search of water. Hon. Angbo Kennedy, a lawmaker representing Otukpo Akpa at the Benue State House of Assembly, recently donated funds to support the effort, a move that has been met with gratitude by the Asa community.

In a bid to alleviate suffering, philanthropist Mohammed Odeh Adah, also known as Ochacho, has been distributing water through his private initiatives. However, despite his generosity, the demand far outweighs the supply.

The Benue State Government has acknowledged the crisis and announced plans to rehabilitate the Otobi Water Works. The Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Hon. Ugwu Ameh Odoh, has promised to restore the facility and improve water supply in Otukpo and its environs.

“The council has directed the Ministry of Water Resources to invite CGC to commence the rehabilitation of the facility and restore water supply in Otobi, Otukpo, and surrounding areas,” Odoh stated.

For now, residents remain hopeful but continue to endure one of the worst water crises in the history of Otukpo.