Southern Kaduna’s long wait for portable water

An investigation by Daily Trust revealed that the contract for the water project in Southern Kaduna was awarded during the tenure of Sen. Mohammed Makarfi for communities such as; Madauchi, Fadan Kaje, Wadon, Tsoryang, Aduwan, Madakiya, Abodari, Atat and Matsirga.The residents said many years after the pipes were laid, clean water is still far-fetched. “As […]

An investigation by Daily Trust revealed that the contract for the water project in Southern Kaduna was awarded during the tenure of Sen. Mohammed Makarfi for communities such as; Madauchi, Fadan Kaje, Wadon, Tsoryang, Aduwan, Madakiya, Abodari, Atat and Matsirga.
The residents said many years after the pipes were laid, clean water is still far-fetched. “As you can see, we get our drinking water from this river, bath here and our women fetch the same water for domestic uses. At times, there used to be outbreak of water-borne diseases in our communities apart from cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and malaria that are rampant here. Sometimes you see people’s stomach swelling up and they never survive it.  We want the government to come to our rescue by completing the water project which they started in our communities,” said Ishaku Luka, a resident of Tsoryang.
“When the administration of former governor Mohammed Makarfi started this project over 11 years ago, we were happy that we will get clean water soon but Makarfi’s tenure ended without its completion. During Mohammed Namadi Sambo’s administration, the project was abandoned. When the administration of late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa came in, they removed the old pipes laid by the Makarfi tenure and replaced them with new ones. It’s about two years now since the pipes were laid yet there’s no water,” a resident of Matsirga, Bulus Shehu said.
He called on Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero to come to their rescue by ensuring that people who were giving the contracts for the water project returned to site.
“We are confused because one of our own was Commissioner for Water Resources and he came here with contractors who removed the old pipes and replaced them with new ones but till date, nothing has happened. We learnt he has been moved to another ministry. We want the government to help us,” Ishaku Bala said.
Bala, a resident in Madauchi, said most women in his community get drinking water from the stream which is always contaminated by domestic animals.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Water resources, Dr. John Ayuba, said they ran short of materials that’s why the project was being delayed.
“The project is still on course. The government cannot abandon such a good project. You know, I just came in as a new person in the ministry of water resources and we realized that the contractors ran short of materials but certainly they will return to site and the project will be completed,” Ayuba added.