FCT community residents decry water crisis

As the water crisis in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—particularly in rural communities and satellite towns—continues to bite harder, residents of Kulo community in the Rubochi ward of Kuje Area Council say they are forced to dig into dry streambeds to scoop out water. Locals described the situation as “hell,” not only in their community […]

As the water crisis in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—particularly in rural communities and satellite towns—continues to bite harder, residents of Kulo community in the Rubochi ward of Kuje Area Council say they are forced to dig into dry streambeds to scoop out water.

Locals described the situation as “hell,” not only in their community but in several other villages along the axis.

When Abuja Metro visited one of the dry streams on Saturday, residents explained that they must wait two to three hours after digging into the sand for enough water to gather. Only then can they use a calabash to scoop the water into basins to carry home.

The lack of potable drinking water has been a primary challenge for the community for years, especially during the dry season. This hardship forces residents to trek down steep hills daily in search of water for domestic use.

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Mrs. Rachel Musa, a housewife encountered at the stream, told our reporter that the lack of access to clean water causes severe hardship. She explained that she and her two daughters wake up as early as 4 am to trek down the hill.

“No matter how early you wake up to arrive at the stream, you will still find a queue of basins,” she said. “Other women are already waiting for their turn to scoop water.”

She added that even after fetching the water, she must treat it with alum before it is safe for drinking, cooking, or washing clothes.

Another resident, Mrs. Grace Barnabas, also described the situation as “hell.”

She frequently wakes up in the middle of the night to join other women at the stream.

“Now you can see an elderly woman who has to use a walking stick, with a basin on her back, climbing this hill after waiting an hour to get water. Are you saying that is not a serious challenge?” she asked. “It is worrisome that an old woman who should be resting at home must walk such distances. It shows the level of the water problem Kulo has faced for years.”

A community elder, Mr. Shebwaza Ayuba, expressed frustration that repeated appeals to the Area Council have yielded no positive response.

He noted that despite the community’s growing population, access to clean water remains elusive.

According to Ayuba, the only functional borehole in the community was provided through the intervention of Senator Philip Aduda.

“We must appreciate Senator Philip Aduda, who provided a borehole with an overhead tank that the entire population depends on,” Ayuba said. “The current outgoing administration of Kuje has failed to address the water problem facing Kulo for over seven years.”

He noted that the existing borehole recently broke down, forcing the entire village back to the dry streambeds.

“I personally forwarded letters to the outgoing chairman of the Kuje Area Council more than four times requesting intervention. Nothing has been done, and unfortunately, the government has only three months left in office,” he added. However, he expressed hope that the incoming chairman would finally address the perennial issue.

Aside from the water scarcity, Ayuba lamented the deplorable state of the road connecting Kulo to Rubochi.

He said the bad road network makes it difficult for farmers to transport produce to the Rubochi or Abaji markets.

“As you can see, the road is terrible. The asphalt ends immediately after Rubochi Secondary School; the remaining section down to this community is in awful condition,” he said.

Ayuba called on the government to fix the road before the rainy season begins to provide relief to local farmers.

An official from the Kuje Area Council and aide to the outgoing chairman, Abdullahi Suleiman Sabon, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told our reporter via telephone that the council has captured Kulo in its current budget.

“The truth is that the sinking and rehabilitation of broken-down boreholes in several villages in the Rubochi ward, including Kulo, has already been captured in the budget,” the official stated.