NEWS DIGEST – Niger State Water Board (NSWB) on Saturday blamed the water scarcity suffered by some communities in Minna to a broken pipeline supplying water to the affected places.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that communities in Chanchaga and Military Cantonment are worse hit by the scarcity.
Mr Ibrahim Salihu, the Operations Manager of the board, told NAN in an interview in Minna.
He expressed regret about the situation and assured that the state government had already taken up the matter.
“We are aware that parts of Chanchaga and the army barrack in Minna have not been getting water supply for one month now.
“I want to tell you that right now the state government has taken up the issue and very soon we will restore normal water supply to the areas,’’ he said.
He decried the construction of buildings on the water pipeline, saying such buildings were obstructing the repair
of the damaged pipes.
According to him, unless such buildings are demolished, repair of the broken pipelines will be difficult.
He said the police also had one of their buildings situated on the water pipeline.
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“When I was the General Manager some years ago at Chanchaga Water Works, I advised against building the Police Station on top of the major pipeline but the powers that be did not listen,’’ he said.
Salihu said that apart from building on the water pipe, there was a suck away pit close to the damaged pipe.
He said that government was already discussing with the police authority on demolition of the structure and a possible temporary office accommodation for them, to enable the board start repairs of the damaged pipelines.
“The pipeline is right under the building and we need to disinfect the pipe after repair because of the suck away pit close to it.
“Immediately the building is demolished, the repair will last for one week,’’ he said.
He appealed to residents of the affected areas to be patient with the board as government was making efforts to relocate the police station to make the necessary repairs.
Mrs Jacinta Ahube, a resident of Chanchaga told NAN that because of the damaged pipeline, residents had been buying water for their daily usage.
Ahube said that she usually spent N800 to buy water daily from water vendors to take care of her domestic chores.
“Spending N800 every day just for water is what I cannot afford.
“I am appealing to the authority to address this problem quickly because it is affecting our meagre resources,’’ she lamented.
