Army wives donate borehole to Benue community

Twenty years after the lack of potable water at the Veterinary layout of the North Bank community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, the wives of military officers on Tuesday provided water.

The Nigeria Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) in the Nigerian Army School of Engineering (NASME) barracks provided the water as part of its social responsibility to their host community.

Residents of the area had decried shortage of water for over 20 years before the Army wives came to their rescue.

Mrs Adebukola Kadiri, the wife of Commander Corps of Engineers Nigeria Army, who as the special guest of honour, commissioned the 5000 capacity borehole water, said that the project was conceived and achieved in line with the vision of NAOWA’s national president.

“The actualisation of this project is a testimony of the importance NAOWA places on the well being of youths, children and women living around their host community. It was built in less than three months. This shows our commitment to humanity,” she said.

She lauded the community for providing the land for NAOWA to build the borehole just as she enjoined them to take care of the source of water so that it would serve generation after generation.

Earlier, Mrs Olanike Omali, who is Coordinator, NAOWA, NASME chapter, explained that the project was conceived after the people toured neighbouring communities around the barracks.

“I had pleaded with my husband that any opportunity we have we should be allowed to give back to society. The idea was a result of what the people of the community were going through to get water. The community scooped water from streams and gullies around for cooking which is unhygienic. When the streams are dried, they trek to the barracks, putting a strain on the barrack’s resources. So a better way would be to provide for them.”

Responding to the gesture, Joseph Ortese, Chairman of the Veterinary layout landlords association, appreciated the gesture by Army wives for bringing joy to the community.

“Thank God for NASME. We have been suffering for water, scooping from a pond, but now we have potable drinking water which is devoid of water-borne diseases,” Ortese added.

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