SGF Inaugurates New Bussa Water Works in Niger State

Laleye Dipo in Minna

After 30 years without potable water, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Dr. George Akume, has commissioned the New Bussa Water Works, putting smiles on the faces of members of the community.

Akume described the epoch-making event as “an important milestone in the journey of the present administration under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards improving the living standards of the people and attaining sustainable development in the country”.
Represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, the SGF said the project executed by the Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC also “exemplifies the federal government’s commitment to enhancing the lives of citizens at the grassroot level.”

He said: “The rehabilitation of the New Bussa Water Scheme is not simply about revamping old infrastructure and building additional structures; it is about transforming lives,” adding that “Mothers will no longer have to worry about the safety of the water they give their children. Hours previously spent fetching water can now be dedicated to education, farming, business and family”.

Akume also submitted that the “provision of improved water supply would boost public health, reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases, support local businesses, attract investments and contribute to the overall development of New Bussa Town and environs.”

According to the SGF, the water project is an open testament to government’s belief that every Nigerian, regardless of location, deserves access to clean and safe water adding that the project also aligns with the government’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6, which aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

In his address, Niger State governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, said the project would bring to an end the perennial water problem experienced by people in New Bussa and its environs over the years.

The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Alhaji Suleiman Umaru, said: “The provision of sustainable potable water remains the driving force of socioeconomic development in every society,” adding that the rehabilitation and resuscitation of the water sector is one of the cardinal objectives of the administration’s New Niger Agenda.
Also, in an address, the Managing Director of the commission, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, said the rehabilitated water works targets not only the infrastructure upgrade, but also a transformation in the quality of life for the people of New Bussa Town and its environs