Muhammad Garba, Dutse
Federal Government in collaboration with Jigawa state government will execute projects worth N12 billion to ensure 100 percent provision of drinking water in Jigawa rural communities.
The Jigawa state Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resources, Hon Ibrahim Garba Hannungiwa revealed this during a Media Engagement Forum organized by correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalist, Jigawa state chapter.
He said under the agreement signed for the execution of the project, Jigawa state will pay 30 percent while federal government will provide 70 percent of the total money.
According to the commissioner, the project involved 100 percent renovation of all broken hand pumps, solar and motorized boreholes in rural areas as well as construction of new ones.
The Commissioner however revealed that, in the last six years the governor Badaru led- administration has spent over N22 billion in the provision of water supply in the state.
He said, the state government has adopted using alternative and environmentally friendly energy for sustainable water supply in the state.
“Under this policy we converted over 284 motorized water schemes to solar power, while 437 new solar schemes were constructed in the last six years.
“We had also constructed over 4,472 boreholes across the state while urban water schemes are upgraded to meet up with growing demands of water.
“As a result of the commitment of our led- All progressive Congress government in the state, today Jigawa state is number one in Northern Nigeria in terms of access to drinking water and number 2 in the nation.
“We are proud to have achieved 92 percent provision of water to our populace has been rated by UNICEF report.”
The Commissioner also expressed his dismay over the activities of vandals which is the major challenge of the state water supply sector, “every year we are losing over 100 million as a result of vandalization of our water facilities in addition to hardship caused to the affected communities.”
He then called on the public to take ownership of the facilities provided in their communities by protecting it and ensure they did not allow unscrupulous and unpatriotic people to temper with it.
