Sokoto to boost water supply with $2.5m World Bank grant

World Bank is to grant Sokoto state about 2.5 million dollars for expansion in water supply says the state Commissioner for Water Resources. Umar Bature who also said that a target of 3 million gallons per day was designed, added that adequate arrangements were on to realize the goal. “The current water system in Sokoto […]

World Bank is to grant Sokoto state about 2.5 million dollars for expansion in water supply says the state Commissioner for Water Resources.

Umar Bature who also said that a target of 3 million gallons per day was designed, added that adequate arrangements were on to realize the goal.

“The current water system in Sokoto was done in 1988. The plan was to improve the expansion as the town was expanding, it was to cover up to 010 but unfortunately, nothing happened, the successive governments tried to put up an ad hoc.”

The prevailing situation, he said, posed a big challenge because, with the expansion of the town, some places had been left without water pipelines.

He also divulged: “When I took over in November last year, we had issues of equipment not working, staff not motivated, virtually everything was on ground zero.”

He added:”We did a tour, saw the problems and we came up with an action plan to rehabilitate, first the machinery to the level that we can believe can produce water, improve on the storage and then in a way motivate the staff to be able to understand that the kind of work they are doing is for social service not to make money.”

Bature, however, said in the last six months they had restored 30-40 per cent of the water production and distribution.

“We took over some projects that were done by the last administration which is Runjin Sambo, we have completed it. we have almost completed Gagi, and by the time we finish Gagi, we will move to Rugarr Liman.”

On electricity challenge, he said: “What we are trying to do now in virtually every platform we have, there are two generators there. So if there is no electricity supply we will be able to run on generators.”

The Commissioner also spoke on the challenges of water revenue and revealed that they had reviewed the water rates
and embedded it into the water policy. He added that it would subsequently be taken to the State Assembly to provide a law for it.
Other challenges,he noted was that of vandalism of water supply facilities.

Bature said the state government was partnering with the USAID, World bank and The African Development Bank to redress water challenges in the state.