Niger Govt: Vandals Behind Water Scarcity in Minna

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government has blamed the acute shortage of potable water which has lingered for three weeks  in Minna, the state capital, and its environs on the activities of vandals.

However, independent investigations have shown that the state Water Board lacks the needed chemicals purify water to be pumped to its customers.

A public enlightenment statement issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Dams claimed that vandals have sabotaged some water pipelines and other installations, making it difficult for the board to perform its constitutional duty to the people.

The statement signed for the Commissioner, Water Resources and Dams, Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan Gwagwa, by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Akilu Musa Kuta, “warn vandals and thieves to stay away from government water property, as the government will no longer tolerate any act of sabotage.”

It stressed that “the government will henceforth not hesitate to prosecute those found wanting.

“The public is hereby informed that the state government will monitor and keep surveillance of its property, inventory and water stocks,” but cautioned those in the act to desist, as the government will not shield them.

The statement did not state where the vandals operated and destroyed water installations but submitted that the “state water revitalization programme has resuscitated and repaired broken pipes, maintained both water transmission and distribution network, in order to bring water to households, marketplaces, farms and small enterprises, as well as improve the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project for the masses across the state.”

Independent investigation, however, revealed that absence of water treatment chemicals was responsible for the inability of the board to perform its role to the public.

According to the investigations, “Contractors are owed huge sums of money resulting in their refusal to supply the chemicals to the board until outstanding debts are settled.

“We have been expecting supply from our contractors for three weeks but they are yet to supply us,” a senior official of the state water board said on the condition of anonymity.

“Even the skeletal services we are rendering have been stopped,” the official said, adding that: “We are expecting money from the state government.

“Following the development, water vendors are now making brisk business as a truckload of twenty gallons now sell for between N1,000 and N1,500 depending on the location in the city.”

The vendors claimed that borehole owners from where they fetch water were charging them not less than N800 for each truck load.