Zaria Water Problem That Defies Solutions

When former President Olusegun Obasanjo promised to tackle the water problem facing the ancient city of Zaria, the residents became more optimistic. The belief then was that before the end of Obasanjo’s first tenure, water scarcity in Zaria would be history. The optimism of the residents stemmed from the fact that President Obasanjo had declared […]

When former President Olusegun Obasanjo promised to tackle the water problem facing the ancient city of Zaria, the residents became more optimistic. The belief then was that before the end of Obasanjo’s first tenure, water scarcity in Zaria would be history. The optimism of the residents stemmed from the fact that President Obasanjo had declared that he has released billions of naira to address the Zaria water problem.

Five years after Obasanjo had served for two terms, portable water still eludes most residents of Zaria. It is not clear whether the amount voted by the Obasanjo government was not enough to address the problem or that the money went into the drains or some people have looted the Zaria water funds.

Residents of Zaria, interviewed by Sunday Trust, said the huge amount, which President Obasanjo declared to have voted for the Zaria water project was enough to ensure that water flows to every part of the city.

“The money then was in billions. It is, however, sad to say that water as a necessary tool for survival had continued to be our major frustration for many years. Wells, which most of us heavily relied on have scorched as dry season is now at its peak. Tap water has been the dilemma of Zaria for a very long time now. We now buy water from vendors at an expensive rate. The few water vendors roaming the streets of Zaria now display the aura of kings as demand of water becomes high,” resident Yunus Ja’afar said.

The unending problem of water in Zaria had early last year, precisely on Monday, February 28, forced some youths of the old city to took to the streets to protest what they called total neglect and insincerity of leaders who have nothing to show for the billions of naira that both state and federal government reportedly gave out for the Zaria water project.

The protest, which began around 7 a.m. was meant to express the grievances of the people of Zaria over unending water and electricity problems that are bedeviling the old city and its environs.

The protesters started their march from Kofar Doka, moved to Tudun Wada and terminated at Agwaro area of the city. The rioting youths barricaded the city’s main road that links the ancient city to Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari and Samaru.

The protest later turned violent where the protesters started setting bonfires and destroying campaign posters of the ruling party’s candidates. The development called the intervention of the police and some elders before the protesters agreed to sheath their swords.

For decades, residents told Sunday Trust, some areas of the ancient city have not seen a drop of water from their taps. What worsens the present condition, the residents said, is the fact that most of the city’s wells have desiccated and this left most of the residents with no alternative than to resort to fetching the water from streams and other unhygienic sources.

A 25-litre can of water now sells between N30 to N40. The worst aspect of the water crisis, according to findings, is the scarcity of the water vendors.

“Where you get the water vendors, a low income earner like me cannot afford the price. In my house, on daily basis, I need between 10 to 15 25-litre can of water, which will cost between N300 to N450. One cannot understand the essence of government if water continues to be the stalemate of its citizens,” Malam Muhammad Tijjani, a resident said.

Regular passers-by along the entrance of the famous Barewa College would always be accosted by the sight of the school’s students roaming about searching for water. As early as 5 am, the students can be seen flowing to the neighbouring communities in large number to fetch water.

“We don’t have tap water in the school. The school’s wells have all dried up leaving us with no option than to come to town searching for water. To say that the situation is affecting our studies is, of course, stating the obvious. We are now students as well as water vendors. Though the problem is beginning to subside because the old boys have provided additional boreholes to the school but they are still grossly inadequate to meet the water need of the school,” a student of the College, who preferred anonymity, said.

Some residents, especially those neighbouring the Kubanni River, now rely on the river as their source of water. Women and children in their hundreds besieged the river site as irrigation farmers by the river bank allow the residents to fetch water from the borehole they dug for their irrigation activities.

“It is unfortunate,” Alhaji Sale Moriki, a ward head in Tudun Jukun, Zaria began his description of the water situation in the area, “everyone knows that water is essential for survival but it has now turned to be a scarce commodity in Zaria. Nobody knows how hygienic this water – the water in the Kubanni River – is. If that is the case one cannot rule the possibility of an epidemic. People now use water from any source, its hygienic condition notwithstanding.”

Another resident of Tudun Jukun, Musa Dan’asabe, said he has spent over 20 years in the area but he has never seen tap water flowing from his tap.

“I moved to this area from Sabon Gari, Zaria in 1993. Since my coming here, we only rely on well water for our routine domestic activities while we buy sachet water for drinking. When the wells dry up, we usually turn to vendors to be buying the water. If I can afford to buy the water, how many people can afford buying N400 to N600 water every day? For me, I think a responsible government should take the issue of providing water to its citizens very serious. With the availability of portable water, many diseases can be prevented,” Dan’asabe said.

The problem of water in the Tudun Jukun area, checks by Sunday Trust revealed, led to construction of boreholes by those who can afford. For example, on the Mijin Yawa Street of the area, there are about ten boreholes constructed by the wealthy residents.

“One good aspect is how those wealthy residents allow the have-not to fetch water from their boreholes. This is why most of the houses that have boreholes, they usually extend a pipe outside for other residents to fetch water. In my opinion, this is a community service and that is helping the residents, especially those who cannot afford buying water from vendors. We find ourselves in a situation where people are taking over government responsibilities and I think it is not a good development for the government. When somebody is doing the work a government supposes to do, then such a government has lost its legitimacy and it doesn’t have any moral ground to remain as government,” Dan’asabe said.

According to a Zaria-based engineer, Rabi’u Abubakar, constructing boreholes in a certain area can affects the wells of such area.

“Yes, boreholes can make wells to dry up but this depends on some factors. If the borehole and the well fall to the same aquifer, the borehole can affect the well because the well water would flow into the borehole because, usually, boreholes are deeper than wells,” Engineer Abubakar said.

Engineer Abubakar said in places where there is high concentration of boreholes; the possibility for the wells of the area to dry up is always very high.

The communities inside the ancient city of Zaria are the worst affected by the Zaria water scarcity. Most of the solar-powered water systems, which the state government constructed to help in lessening the sufferings of the residents are not functioning.

“Well, Zaria water problem is beyond explanation. We have been crying about this water problem but nobody seems to care. If not for Nigeria how can a place like Zaria be battling with water problem for over 40 years. Everybody is keeping quite because the prominent people in Zaria receive their water in tankers while for electricity they have standby generators,” Musa Danlami, a resident, said.

Kaduna State government, according to our investigation, has about three-years embarked on the construction of solar-powered water system to ease the perennial water scarcity, which has been bedeviling the ancient city since the past 30 years or more.

Sunday Trust reliably gathered that the then two Kaduna State House of Assembly members from the two Zaria State Constituencies, Waje and Zaria Kewaye, were the ones who the state government entrusted with the construction of the solar-powered boreholes.

Sunday Trust had once contacted one of the State House of Assembly members, Abdul’azeez Mu’azu, who has now left the State Assembly after losing his reelection bid.

“Yes, is true that the government has given us the privilege of choosing the places, within our constituencies, where the solar boreholes will be cited. This is in addition of appointing the contractors to handle the construction. But monitory aspects of the contract are handled by the government. That is, it is the government that will pay the contractors directly.

“In my own case, we have completed the construction of four out of the six given to Waje Constituency, which is my constituency. The remaining ones would soon be completed. We are trying to address some problems facing the contractors and the construction will continue and will be completed as soon as we resolve the contractor’s problems,” Alhaji Mu’azu said.

However, Mu’azu explained that water problem is not peculiar to Zaria alone but other parts of the state are also experiencing the same problem.

“Even the state capital, Kaduna, is being affected by the water shortage. I stay in Kaduna on working days; therefore, I know the situation there. I just want to appeal to the Kaduna state government to come to the aid of our people in finding a lasting solution to this problem. We are also appealing to the people to keep on bearing with the government as very soon this problem would be addressed,” Mu’azu remarked.

Checks by Sunday Trust, however, revealed that most of the solar-powered water system erected in many parts of Zaria are not functioning. In Tudun Jukun, Zaria, for example, the solar-powered water system has stopped functioning about a year ago. On the same vein, those of Unguwan Iyan Juma as well as that of Unguwan Iya Primary School, inside the ancient city, are also not functioning and same thing applies to other solar-powered water systems that were erected in different parts of the city.

“The problem began when the solar water systems stopped operating on daily basis. They worked at the interval of 24 hours. Therefore, we fetched water from the solar boreholes after every 24 hours. That was why the places used to be crowded as everyone was desperate. The situation became worse when most of them stopped working completely. The development is indeed a terrible one, nobody knows where this situation is leading us to,” A resident of Unguwan Juma, Shehu Lawal, told Sunday Trust.

The impact of the water scarcity in Zaria is not only affecting the downtrodden of the society but even those regarded as the movers and shakers.

Checks at the Emir of Zazzau’s palace, Alhaji Shehu Idris, revealed that the palace also buy water from vendors.

“Almost every drop of water you see in this palace, we buy it from vendors, sometimes in cans. Of course, it is embarrassing for a palace like this to be buying water in cans but we don’t have option than to do that. There is no water in the palace,” a source at the palace that prefers to remain anonymous said.

At different forums, especially during Sallah Durbars, the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, always cries out for a solution to Zaria water problem.

All attempts to get the Kaduna State Commissioner for Water Resources, Sunday Katung, were abortive as he did answer the calls put through to his phone, nor reply the text message sent to him.

An impeccable source at the Kaduna State Water Board, however, told Sunday Trust that the unavailability of tap water in most areas of Zaria is due to a number of problems. The source said Zaria Dam, which is the main Dam that the city depends on for water, has since worn out its life span.

“The Dam, when constructed, was meant to serve Zaria for a maximum of 50 years. It is now in the 73rd year. It has begun to fill-up and therefore cannot provide the water needed for the city. This is why the government is constructing another dam,” the source said.

Our investigation from the Water Board also revealed that the epileptic power supply in the ancient city is greatly contributing to the worsened water situation of Zaria, and the Board cannot afford the required diesel that would run its generators.

Checks by Sunday Trust also revealed that the officials of the Water Board has been engaging in laying water pipes in different parts of Zaria. Work was seen going on at the Gaskiya, Zaria layout as well as many parts of the city.

“Yes, is true they have been laying pipes. The pipes are big pipes. Perhaps, it is an attempt to bring succor to the water problem facing us. We cannot, however, say that for now until we see water flowing in our taps largely because the laying of the pipes has been on for over a year but up till now, we don’t have water,” Malam Awwal Aliyu, a resident of Gaskiya, Zaria, said.

Investigation also revealed that some areas like Tudun Wada, Chikaji in Sabon Gari, as well as areas like Low Cost and other parts of the ancient city are better off because they get water in their taps from the Water Board.

“It is true that we get water from the Water Board. At least in 24 hours, we can get for say two to three hours, sometimes even for five to six hours. We usually store the water in drums as it is not constant. For the fact that most areas of the city don’t have water, people from other parts of the city usually trooped to our areas to fetch the water. I think more needs to be done by government to overcome this water problem,” Abdullahi Isa, a resident of Tudun Wada, Zaria, said.

Malam Awwal Aliyu, the resident of Gaskiya, Zaria, summarized his frustration on the problem of water scarcity in Zaria thus: “We are indeed in tough times. Wells have dehydrated and taps are not flowing. For how long are we going to continue to bear the water shortage, which is threatening our health and to some extent our lives.

“Everyone knows that life without water is not feasible. Is better for the government to act now and find solution to this problem than to come for rescue mission when the looming epidemic of water borne diseases blows up. Allahi ya tsare afkuwan hakan (may Allah forbids this from happening). People are now taking water without minding the source. Even the streams, which people resorted to as their source of water, are now beginning to dry up, exposing us to more dangers.”

The lingering question on the lips of most Zaria residents is whether the problem of Zaria water cannot be tackled by both the federal and state government or whether some powerful individuals are using the Zaria water problem to enrich themselves that is why they allow the problem to linger; it is only time and, perhaps, prove by government that can determine the true situation.