Vendors make brisk business as water scarcity hits Abuja community

Residents of Daki-Biyu, a settlement in Jabi District of Abuja, have lamented over scarcity of water supply in the area, a situation which they described as worrisome. When City & Crime went round the area, residents were seen crowded around a commercial water borehole near the popular 44 junction to get some water. Some of […]

Residents of Daki-Biyu, a settlement in Jabi District of Abuja, have lamented over scarcity of water supply in the area, a situation which they described as worrisome.

When City & Crime went round the area, residents were seen crowded around a commercial water borehole near the popular 44 junction to get some water.

Some of the residents said the only public borehole situated in the chief’s palace house which was donated by a non-governmental organisation has not been functioning for long.

It was learnt that water vendors in the area, otherwise known as mai ruwa, are also exploiting the situation by increasing the price from the initial N30 to N50 per jerrican.

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A nursing mother in the area, Grace Uwalaka, told City & Crime that sometimes she queues for long to get water because of the crowd as the situation is first come first served.

She said, “Not everybody is financially buoyant to draw water from a water board.”

She called on the government to come to their rescue as the water that comes out of the commercial borehole is not hygienic enough for drinking.

Also, a drycleaner, who doesn’t want his name to be mentioned, attributed the cause to power failure and the increase in pump price of petrol. 

He said, “Unlike before, the people selling water used to pump water and store it in their tanks for people to buy, but ever since the price of petrol increased with the epileptic power supply, the situation has changed.

“The situation is affecting my business because I need water to wash customers’ clothes. So, the water challenge here has reached a point that requires the attention of government.’’