Isiyaku Ahmed
In an attempt to overhaul the water supply system in Kano state, particularly within the 8 metropolitan local governments, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje met with critical stakeholders, rub minds, and proffered immediate, short-term, and long-term solutions.
In a special meeting with critical stakeholders, the governor was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, at the office Chamber on Saturday at Government House, Kano.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Ganduje, Abba Anwar in a statement, Sunday, said most senior officials from the State Ministry of Water Resources, Water Board, Rural Water Supply Agency (RUWASA), Chairmen of the 8 metropolitan local council areas, Special Advisers to the Governor on Special Services and Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, among others, were present at the meeting.
According to the statement, Governor Ganduje ordered an immediate and more critical evaluation of the collaboration between the state government and France, through French Development on Water Project, a multi-million Dollar intervention.
A gigantic project aimed at ameliorating problems associated with water supply and management in the state, with a global and modern touch. When the project takes off, the state government assured us that it would take care of all major setbacks in the industry.
For another long-term solution, he directed an immediate revisit of two major concessions with some companies the state entered on water projects in Joda and Wudil towns.
The statement further said Governor Ganduje directed RUWASA to immediately swing into action and come up with the precise number of boreholes that needed repairs and all those that were not in use for immediate government intervention.
“RUWASA should also take an inventory of specific areas across the 44 local governments that need boreholes, bearing in mind some implications of rampant boreholes to the environment,” he directed.
Distribution of water in tanks to some specific locations within the metropolitan local governments by the state government in good collaboration with the 8 local council areas was also considered as one of the immediate solutions, particularly in the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, the statement added.
Some major challenges to uninterrupted water supply were identified as cable theft by some vandals, epileptic and insufficient power supply, some unpatriotic activities taking place in the Kano and Challawa rivers, and nonchalant attitudes of some water consumers, among others.
“We will do our best to make sure that security around water equipment is tightened and whoever is found wanting will face the wrath of the Law. We are strategizing on that seriously,” he assured.
“While the government is devising mechanisms on heavy-duty water equipment, high-powered generators, controlling cable theft, among others, we are assuring our people that, what we have on the table, are short-term, mid-term, and long-term interventions,” he added.
