From Saka Bolaji, Minna
The problem of portable water affecting communities in Niger state has been traced to the door steps of the state of water resources agency which is unable to identify competent firms to fix all broken water treatment plants across the state.
Governor Abubakar Sanni Bello who expressed concern about the problem of water scarcity across the state , lamented the poor situation, adding that the type of water being consumed in most of the communities he visited in the course of his on-going state assessment tour of all the 25 local governments called for urgent attention.
He stated that the water was not even good for animal’s consumption and announced the release of N30 million to fix broken boreholes in Lapai and its environ and another N2 million for the provision of water at all worshiping centres across the local government.
The governor directed that the local government and all the stakeholders should ensure that water is provided in all the centres with immediate effect as an interim measures.
Responding to the barrage of requests put forward by the Lapai local government area as presented by their spokesperson, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa who is also the state commissioner of Information and Culture, Governor Bello approved a 15KVE transformer for them which cost was put at aboutN75 million.
He stated that the Lapai -Paiko road also needed maintenance which he assured will be done by the state government.
On the completion of IBBU Senate Building, Sani Bello said that it was a capital project which will be captured in the 2018 budget, adding that the state government has commenced work on the network of roads in the university, provide a giant generator for the students’ hostel and additional two hostels for the students.
According to the governor, the university’s medical school will be supported by Qatar government for its successful take-off, so that indigenes of the state who wish to study medicine could do so in the school.
While inspecting the Government Day Secondary School, Gulu, Governor Sani Bello frowned at a situation where three schools co-habit in the same compound.
The premises houses Government Technical College, Government Girls Science college and Government Day Secondary School, all in one place. He directed the commissioner of education to detach one of the schools from the compound.
The governor was also confronted by the Gullu community on their plight of securing portable drinking water, and called on the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Idrees Azozo to explain the cause of delay in fixing the 42 broken water treatment plants across the state.
However, not satisfied with the explanation proffered by the commissioner, the governor retorted: “The same thing you told me two months ago is what you are repeating now. I expected the ministry to tell me if they have been able to identify some companies that can work on the Bi-water plants; we need to know this
“I am not an expert but I know there are water engineers and electrical engineers. Therefore, we should be able to identify at least four or five firms that can handle the water plants so that whenever there is a fault, we know who to call or else we will continue to run into problems”.
The governor also inspected Mute Primary Health Centre and commissioned an abattoir at Ebbo built by a member of the state House of Assembly representing Lapai local government.
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