*Review of monthly allocation of #100m to #30m worsens the situation.
There are palpable fears that epidemics may break out in Lokoja , kogi state capital as residents have to scoop water from untreated water channels as taps from the Government water board have become epileptic since the inception of the administratiion
The scarcity, according to residents, may be connected to the alleged downward review of the monthly allocation from hundred million nairab#100M to thirty million naira #30M on the inception of the administration.
The review , which allegedly forced the Chinese managers, who built the Lokoja Greater Water works to relocate from the state, which has consistently become the albatross of the residents who need water for their daily chores.
Treasuretimes learnt that since , the civil servants took over the management of the water works, the ingredients needed for treatment of the water, such as calcium hydro chlorine , polyelectrolyte and aluminium sulphate have been out of rich of the management.
This , Treasuretimes learnt stemmed from the inability of the management to access directly their monthly allocation from the Government.
It also learnt that the management often get stipends whenever the Governor is in town, which , unfortunately, he spent most of his days outside the state.
The scarcity has however forced residents to patronise water vendors popularly known as mai ruwa. The quantity of water that was sold at N400 is now being sold for N1,200 and #1500 depending on the location
Women , girls,and boys are seen everywhere with jerry cans and buckets looking for water from one borehole to the other.
Our correspondent who spoke to some residents of Lokoja about the situation on Friday was informed by a resident, known as Mr. Ismail, that for the past five years, he has not had water in his residence at the Angwan Kura area of the town, adding that they have resorted to buying water from the local water vendors.
“For the past five years, there hasn’t been water in my area. What we do is that we buy water from the mai ruwa guys and we do not even have hope that there will be water,” Ismail, lamented.
Another resident, Ibrahim Sulaiman, who lives in Karaworo said the scarcity in the area has lasted for three weeks saying that as much as the supply was epileptic, they were lucky to get supplied.
He said, “In my area, we usually get water every Sunday and it runs for a few hours before they take it. So what we do is that we will fetch water, fill up our containers and manage it until it is supplied again the next week.
“But for the past 3 weeks now, water hasn’t been supplied and we have resorted to buying water. The water vendors initially sold a truck of water that has 10 jerry cans for either N250 or N300. But now, they sell for at least N750”.
The water challenge in Madabo area of the Lokoja metropolis seems to be worse as Amina said she lost touch with the issue of water supply adding that they do not expect it because they know it will not be supplied.
However, residents of popular Governor Wada Road, a new settlement on Lokoja -Ajaokuta expressway who are neighbours to the site of Greater Lokoja Water works are begging the Governor Yahaya Bello to reticulate their area.
They noted that when it is done, it will ameliorate their suffering and bring succour to the people.
Though there are accusations by residents that the Kogi State Water Board was selling water at the old waterworks to tankers and pure water manufacturing companies who in turn sell to the residents at exorbitant rates.
Some of the vendors who spoke to our correspondent attributed the hike in prices to long queue at the boreholes and they have to pay more since the scarcity.
At the time of filing this report, the Commissioner for Water Resources,
Hon. (Dr.) Abdulmumin Danga
did not pick calls.
