As water scarcity bites harder in Kogi state, the government has settled for providing residents of Lokoja, the state capital with free water tankers as palliatives for residents.
The scarcity, ebirareporters.com reports, had started from mid last year as the Lokoja Greater Works stopped functioning with recurring promises of repair by the state government.
Recall that in May 2023, the former Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumuni Danga, blamed the 2022 flooding for being responsible for damages to pumping machines and electricity supply at the Greater works, and however promised immediate return of water supply.
The former Commissioner whose tenure elapsed in January 2024 alongside his Boss, Yahaya Bello had assured that “as it stands, we are done with the repairs and configuration of the pumping machines and tested them. What’s left for us is the mounting of one of the two 500KVA Transformer that will power the machines once connected.
“Once we succeeded in mounting that transformer today (Tuesday) or tomorrow, Wednesday, water will start rushing in homes of residents of Lokoja. This is a sure promise this week,”
However, there has been no hope in sight for the promised water to start rushing into homes of residents in the state capital.
Meanwhile, with series of complaints, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, on Sunday directed the new Commissioner for Water Resources, Yahaya Farouk to provide palliative to residents.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo conveyed the Governor’s directive in a statement, assuring of efforts to address the scarcity.
Fanwo said “the Governor disclosed that other things being equal, the old Lokoja Waterworks, which will pump water to consumers within Lokoja metropolis, will become fully functional before the end of this week while work on the Lokoja Greater Waterworks is ongoing as all challenges holding it to function are being comprehensively addressed by the experts.
“The Governor, who is committed to seeing consumable waters flow unhindered henceforth, has further directed the Commissioner to ensure that no stone is left unturned in ensuring that every part of the State is reached.”
In the central senatorial district, where Governor Ododo and his predecessor, Bello hail from, perennial scarcity has become a recurring decimal.
Residents walk kilometers and some climb mountains during the dry season to source for water. The central has Osara dam, Ekuku dam and Okene waterworks.
The dredging and reticulation of Okene Water works project, first awarded in 2018 by the state government, may have hit the rock with no end in sight.
Sharing the ordeal of the people, veteran journalist, Otori Ozigi wrote that “at a dry season like this, if you visit Ebiraland, you would be confronted with the dehumanizing reality of the pains, stress and dangers our women and children are facing everyday in their search of water for drinking, washing, cooking, bathing and other domestic use.
“From the time immemorial, the people of Kogi central have been grappling with the growing challenge of perennial potable water scarcity.
“And every attempt in the past to defeat the monster of water scarcity in various communities in the senatorial district, had defied any lasting solution.
“As I write this piece this morning, the people of the area where I live, are presently entrapped in another round of excruciating effect of lack of clean water for their normal routine.”
He appealed to Governor Ododo to summon the courage to break the jinx of water scarcity in the central.
“It is not enough to continue to sink substandard boreholes to address the rising problem.
“Our representatives in both State and National Assemblies should strategize on the way forward in getting portable water to the door steps of every households in Kogi central.
“Governor Ododo should avoid the mistakes of the past and do the needful. He should not allow the monster of unbridled corruption to swallow his efforts,this time around,” he said.
