•Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State
Residents of Dutsen Kura-Gwari, Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA), Niger State have cried out to Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to come to their rescue as scarcity of drinkable water bites harder.
Dutsen Kura-Gwari, Kwarkwatta and adjoining communities have been facing severe water scarcity and lack of accessible roads since pipes connecting the community were tampered with by the on-going construction of some metropolitan roads along the western by-pass, Minna the state capital, reports Daily Independent.
Marcus Habila, a resident of the area in an interview pointed accusing fingers at both state and Chanchaga LGA for abandoning the area and the challenges residents face daily due to absence of social amenities is being compounded by the harsh economic realities.
“From mai-ruwa (water vendors) is now N150, meaning that 10 jerricans of water or a truck is now N1, 500 (one thousand, five hundred Naira) and above all, almost all the hand dug wells have dried up”.
While the few well to do individuals like former Commissioners, Chairmen and Customs officer living in the area source for water directly supplied to them from water board, but the majority of masses survive at the mercy of mai-ruwa and stagnant waters to meet daily water needs at the risk of water borne diseases, he said.
Water problem in the area is getting worse, and this according to Habila has forced many families to relocate to other parts of Minna metropolis where water and regular electricity supply is guaranteed.
To meet daily water needs, Marcus recalled how residents and their wards of school age trek long distances in search of water to prepare for schools, and for other domestic and commercial purposes.
Also speaking, Usman Bala, an artisan who said he regretted moving to Dutsen Kura-Gwari from Tunga area where water and electricity is more available, wants the government to arrange for alternative and emergency water distribution strategy to ameliorate water related sufferings the people are grappling with.
As a moslem, Bala said it has not been easy coping with water scarcity now that fasting is on-going and therefore pleaded with the Governor Bago led administration to improvise daily or bi-weekly water supply to ease sufferings of the poor.
Except for people living near the mai-angwa (community leader) house where there is a functional bore hole, Usman said most families living inside Dutsen Kura-Gwari suffer acute water shortage, a development that has also affected small scale businesses.
He lamented that, “Majority of the residents can no longer afford N1, 500 per truck of water, that’s why we are pleading with Governor Bago to compassionately direct water board to supply the affected areas with water on an agreed rate and schedule between the parties”.
