The determination of the administration of Governor Abdulahi Sule of Nasarawa State to address the basic social amenities is not only laudable but an indication that the people of the state will soon ooze a sigh of relief from the many years’ challenges confronting them.
Since the assumption of office, he has proved beyond doubt that his government is poised towards fixing some of the decayed infrastructures, with a view to making life meaningful to the people.
Governor Sule, who is two months old in government and in the governance of the state, has pledged to, within 100 days in office embark on projects, programmes and to formulate policies that would directly impact on the lives of the people.
More worrisome of the challenges facing the people of the state is the fact that in spite the huge amount of monies expended in various projects and programs that would have directly better the living condition of the people by the previous government have to turn futile, as the people are seriously groaning under lack of amenities.
Hitherto to the administration of Governor Sule, which embark on various development project to be completed before 100-days in office, some the projects executed by the past government are not white elephant projects abandoned, they only enjoyed propaganda on the social and conventional media to give the people false impression that the government is working.
Governor Sule’s decision to pick in particular, the provision of potable water for Nasarawa citizens was in fulfillment of his promise made to the people during the campaigns and was predicated on the fact that water is life, and one of the basic amenities required for daily domestic use.
The Governor, who is disturbed by the situation he met on ground, occasioned by the perennial water scarcity being experienced by the people across the state, his administration has taken a swift to end the problem by constituted a 7-man panel to ensure clean, adequate and potable water supply to the people of the state.
The problem being faced by the people in terms of accessing good water caught the attention of the Governor during the Ministerial briefing on assumption into office, where he was alerted of the acute need of the water. The state of affairs at the state water board, and by extension the ministry of water resources was also alarming.
The ministry and its agency, which was deserted, with obsolete equipment, lack of manpower are now busy with activities following the steps taken by the state government to revamp the sector for sufficient water supply across the state.
According to findings, months before the present administration, both the water taps, (pipes), overhead water tank strategically located and water reservoir with capacities of supplying water from 3 million to 10 million gallons per day is not only dried up but empty and rusty.
This was in spite of the huge amount of money spent to service the board in particular as evident in one of the budgetary allocations for only chemicals is N120 million, while that of the diesel consumed N150 million.
Aside from this, there was no overhead allocation to the board in the last eight years, even as the board could not get its total budget for one year during the last administration, which grossly affected water supply in the entire state to date.
Additionally, some of the factors believed to have been affecting the efficiency of the board and water supply in the state are considered to be the construction of road networks in Lafia and in some parts of the state, which busted pipes buried underground, lack of manpower, refusal to pay water bill by consumers.
On the whole, there are 13 water projects spread across the 13 local government areas, established to supply water to the people, and out of these water schemes, only six of Doma, Lafia, Nasarawa, Wamba, and Keana local government water schemes are said to be partially functioning.
This explains why there are many boreholes in virtually every settlement, especially in the urban areas. The indiscriminate digging of boreholes in the state by those who can afford to sunk boreholes in their house is worrisome, while those who cannot sink the same resorted to buying clean water from water vendors who themselves buy the commodity from borehole owners.
Apart from the efforts of individuals and organisations in complementing government’s effort in this regard, there is virtually an absence of government-supplied potable and well- treated water in the state.
It is on this note that Governor Sule has set in motion mechanisms and machinery led by a Profession of law who headed the Ministry of Justice and some point the ministry of water resources and rural development during the reigns of Umaru Tanko Almakura, Abdulkarim Kana to overhaul the sector.
Inaugurating the 7-man member committee in Lafia, Sule said, the committee is expected to take an in-depth appraisal of the water situation in the state and advice the government accordingly.
Governor Sule who underscore the essence and indispensable need of water to mankind, tasked members of the panel to ensure a lasting solution to the water problem in the state, thereby assuring to floors water through the taps before his 100 days to communities and rural areas.
The governor, however, urged the committee to within two weeks period advise the government on how best to ensure clean, effective, efficient water to the people of the state.
While assuring to prioritise funding the sector, he attested to the fact how residents of the state have gone through hardship in recent years as result of scarcity of water.
The governor noted that the action was on the premise of the situation reports from the management of the state’s water board during the ministerial briefing.
According to him, the steps were also necessitated as a result of the shortage of water supply in the state especially in rural areas thereby causing untold hardship to the public.
“Water supply was one of the things I promised to deliver during my campaign and I will do everything possible to fulfill the promise,’’ the governor said.
He gave the terms of reference of the committee to include identifying all government water schemes and their present status and to determine the repair works required and the financial implication.
Consequently, he expressed confidence in the members of the committee to deliver within two months given their wealth of experience.
He noted that the provision of potable drinking water is one of his main priorities of his administration, which would be neglected.
“During my campaign and in my inaugural speech, I promised to make water available to the people of Nasarawa State, our people face untold hardship in search of water and we want an uninterrupted water supply.
“We did not select members of the committee based on their regions, but based on their professional competence and experience,’’ he said.
In his response, Abdulkarim Kana said, “The time of action is now.
“It is no more time for talking and this team wants to put the state on the right path, as water is fundamental to human survival.”
He also expressed gratitude to the governor for the confidence in them and assured that they will discharge their duties without fear or favour.
Meanwhile, other members of the committee include Idris Mohammed, Sani Salihu, Simon Ibi, who are all engineers as well as Yakubu Adam. Ezekiel Audu, Umar Abdullahi, Ag.general Manager of Nasarawa State Water Board.
