Ministry begins assessment of water projects in Niger

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger State Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mu’azu Hamidu Jantabo has assured of rehabilitation of all the rural Bi -Water projects in fulfilment of the transformation agenda of governor Mohammed Umar Bago’s administration.
He made this known during an assessment tour of the 65 water schemes established 45 years ago in the 25 local government areas of the state in which some were abandoned for almost 15 year while others vandalized and few working but not as required.
Hamidu Jantabo maintained that the exercise will be holistic to ensure the sustainability of the projects through stakeholders engagement in times of ownership, security and maintenance, saying that development partners would be approached for the intervention especially in the areas of technical support.
The commissioner regretted the level of decay of the water schemes which was established to ensure portable water supply to those benefiting communities, adding that the assessment tour is aimed at taking stock and analysis of all the status of the facilities in order to carryout full rehabilitation.
He has visited four councils to include; Farin Doki in Paikoro, Lambata in Gurara, Gulu and Takuti in Lapai and Kutiriko in Agaie local government areas respectively, hence the continuation of the assessment tour of the other communities across the state.
Jantabo decried over the complete vandalization and stolen of the entire engines and other equipments one of the largest is the Gulu water scheme consiting of twin 1,240 tanks, double engines and three boreholes which occurred during the banditry activities in the community.