Water is gold in Adamawa

By all indications, the 2003 scenario seems to be rearing its ugly head again in Yola, as residents of the town, the state capital and its environs, are experiencing acute water scarcity as women and children trek several miles daily to get water while others continue to drag with water vendors over increase in price. […]

By all indications, the 2003 scenario seems to be rearing its ugly head again in Yola, as residents of the town, the state capital and its environs, are experiencing acute water scarcity as women and children trek several miles daily to get water while others continue to drag with water vendors over increase in price.

At Chunko, a ‘’deviant’’ water hawker was said to have been seriously beaten –up by aggrieved residents over high increase in water price, while another hawker, a Nigerien was also said to have escaped the ‘’wrath’’ of a shop owner when the water vendor demanded his fee.

Sunday Trust gathered that because of the scarcity, a 25 liter of water, which used to be sold for N10, now costs N30 while a sachet of packaged water now sells for N10.00 instead of N5.00.  Some residents, who spoke to Sunday Trust, lamented that for some weeks now, their taps have been dry and they have been depending on water vendors.

Muhammadu Bello, a resident, accused the state’s Water Board of not doing enough to address the problem.  “The Water Board keeps saying that the water scarcity is due to shortage of power supply from the PHCN. Does it mean that the board relies solely on the PHCN and that it has no stand-by generator?” he asked.

Another resident, John Shuaibu, advised the Water Board, which he described as a revenue generating outfit, not to leave its fate in the hands of the PHCN. “Knowing the role of water, you cannot sit back and wait for the PHCN to restore electricity while people suffer. This is embarrassing,” another resident, Amos said.

The Nyako’s administration  said it has  pumped over N2 billion into the water sector to rehabilitate and purchase new equipment for the waterworks in Yola and other towns, while the Yola treatment plant got an extension of a 33KVA PHCN power line, connecting Jimeta treatment plant to Yola treatment plant along the river bank, using steel poles and connecting a 1000KVA transformer. In addition, a 650 KVA standby generator was also installed.

The government also claimed to have sunk industrial boreholes in many villages and towns across the state.

But despite all these claims, from Sangere, a gateway community to Yola, to Vunikilang Community located on the bank of River Benue at the Northern axis of the state capital and from Jambutu to Bekaji communities in the heart of the state capital, the people are united in one plight, and that is water scarcity.

The story of the people in Wuro Hausa, Mbanba, Damare and Yolde Pate areas of the ancient town of Yola is still that of a people united in wants.

Elsewhere in Ganye, Mubi and Guyuk, it has also been the cry of their heart to have safe drinking water instead of depending on stream water and water hawkers (Mairuwa) that the source of their supply is questionable.

In  Yola, water vending   is a lucrative business and even top politicians and government officials are now into commercial boreholes and ‘pure water’ business using fronts to allegedly frustrate government efforts to make water available to the people. There are over 70 private boreholes in Jimeta and Yola.

“Water situation that improved shortly after the coming of Nyako has now gone back to square one,” Habu Baba, a resident of Yola town said.  He added that every household relies on water hawkers for water needs.

Investigations by Sunday Trust revealed that contrary to claims by the  General Manager of the state Water Board, Engineer Hapsa Cornelius that the situation was due to power failure, the entire water crisis facing the state could be connected to the  decay of equipments.

A top government official told Sunday Trust on condition of anonymity, that the state governor, Murtala Nyako, has in recent time, approved no fewer than seven memos from the state water board by releasing hundred of millions of naira meant to upgrade facilities at the state water treatment plants.

It was also gathered that in the meantime, a cat and mouse politics is being played between the General Manager of the state water board and members of the advisory board constituted by Nyako to overhaul the water crisis in the state.

Engineer Cornelius was accused of non compliance with ‘’due process’’ by not notifying the board on works being done, the allegations he consistently denied.

When contacted, Mr Hapsa Cornelius blamed the problem on blackout by the PHCN and urged the public to be patient.

“People should be patient. You know there is a blackout in Yola,” he said.  He assured that the electricity problem will soon be over.

As at the time of filing this report, Sunday Trust investigations revealed that the part time chairman of the board constituted by Governor Nyako, and other members of the board have since sent a letter to the governor threatening to resign over irregularities alleged to have been perpetuated at the state water board.

All efforts to get comments from   the state commissioner of water resource, Hannatu Kadala over the water crisis in the state proved abortive as she was said to have been out of office, while her GSM lines were off.