Acute water shortage hits Katsina

Water has become a scarce commodity in Katsina and its environ despite the over N60 billion expended by the State government in the sector since its inception in 2015.

The shortage of water being experienced by the citizens is as a result of the inability of the Ajiwa water works to pump the commodity to the state capital and its environ.

Since the advent of the administration in 2015, a colossal sum of money had been pumped into the sector and yet the commodity is not anywhere seeing the light of the day.

Investigations in Katsina revealed that, water has become elusive to the residents of the state capital and environ.

Musa Adamu Funtua, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, in one of his press briefing disclosed that, from 2015-2020, a total of N18,798,640,116.83 was earmarked and approved for the provision of portable water supply in the urban sector of the state.

Similarly, during the 2022 budget presentation, the state Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari further disclosed that, in an effort to improve adequate portable water supply to Katsina metropolis and its environs, the state government awarded contract for the procurement and installation of 7.5 KVA injection substations at Ajiwa Water Treatment Plant at the cost of N353, 682, 129.60.

This is aside the sum of N41, 038, 773, 669.00 allocated to the water in the 2022 budget in the state.

The residents of the metropolis are now at the mercy of shylock water vendors who patronizes private borehole owners to provide the commodity at cut throat price.

However during a working visit to Ajiwa Water Works by journalists, it was discovered that, the only functional working machine cannot supply water to the state capital and environs.

It was also discovered that, the other part of the project meant to improve water supply to the metropolis and environ, awarded to Khaibo Nigeria Limited at the cost of over N3 billion has been abandoned for more than three years.

During the visit, it was observed that, at villages along the route children were seen fetching water from ponds which is unhygienic for human consumption for their domestic needs.  (Daily Independent)