By Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
Severe water scarcity has been reported in some parts of Kaduna South in Kaduna State, causing untold hardship on the residents.The scarcity was confirmed by officials as well as a community leader , Dekeci Angwan Boro, Haruna Goni.
The areas mostly affected by the water scarcity include Angwan Boro,Pama, Romi, Sabon Tasha, Angwan Sunday, Barnawa among other areas that fall within the faulty water distribution line.
But Kaduna State water Board management said Mother-Cat and other water consultancy companies have already been involved in matter when internal efforts to restore the fault failed to yield positive result.
The District Manager (DM) Barnawa Water Board, Engr. Mukhtar Yusuf who spoke to journalists on behalf of the General Manager of the Board at the sight in Kamazo said the breakdown of Butterfly Valve was responsible for the shortage of water supply to all the affected communities in Kaduna South.
According to him, the Valve has become old with almost 30 years of usage, and therefore need to be replaced with new one to be able to supply water to the entire communities in Kaduna South.
Earlier in an interview, Angwan Boro Community leader, Haruna Goni said his community has not experienced pipe burn water in the area since October 7th this year.
Goni who is the Dekeci of Angwan Boro New extension said “I’m speaking on behalf of my community about this water. We have serious problem about water. Since October 7th, over a month now, single water has not passed here. And my people are asking, Dekeci, what is the problem? I told them I called the number of a GM in Kakuri and main office several times but he didn’t pick my phone. I even sent him a text message to ask what has been the problem’”, he said. Goni also said there was no public enlightenment to the people to inform them on the situation on ground, to prepare their minds on the happenings.
According to him, “My problem is that they’re supposed to inform people through public announcement. Before now, if there is any problem they will make public announcement. They will tell us we have maintenance in water board, it will take us sometime, if they are unable to finish, they will tell us. This one, there is no announcement. But we hear from Tudun Wada, kawo, Angwan rimi another area where Muslims are living, they are giving them water, and we here don’t know why we don’t have, and what the GM is doing about it. Are we not the same people with the other people in Kaduna North? So we are appealing, and my people are asking me, I don’t know what to tell them”.
The Dekeci said areas affected by the water scarcity are Angwan Boro 1and 2, General Hospital, Refinery junction, Mahuta and NNPC Quarter side among others.
Mr. Goni also said that he called his District Head and some of his colleagues, and all of them confirmed the scarcity of water in their areas, adding that he went to Sabon Tasha branch where they promised one week but could not keep to the promise as nothing has been done till date.
However, some officials of the water board told some journalists that there has been some public enlightenment .They stressed that the problem took some time to resolve because consistent effort to ratify the fault internally failed to yield impact as only those living in lower lands (valley) sometimes experienced the water flow.
According to them ,Mother-cat and other water consultancy firms have already been notified and involved in tackling the problem as soon as possible.
All efforts made to reach the water engineers for their reaction to some questions especially with regards as to how long it will take the water Board to carry out the maintenance failed.