Awonge Community: Where residents, animals struggle for water

Despite the fact that Awonge community in Nasarawa State has produced eminent indigenes, the residents suffer basic amenities.

The story of the people of Awonge community in Lafia Local Government Area of Nassarawa State may be odd but it is their daily experience to share brown muddy water with cows, goats and other domestic animals.

The situation is evident of the absence of government presence thereby leaving the community in total neglect of social amenities, particularly water supply and electricity.

Investigations revealed that  over 1.1 billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water, while drinking contaminated water is responsible for 88% of the over four billion cases of diarrhoeal diseases that occur in the world’s today.

It is also shown that millions of Africans die yearly because of unsafe water, also responsible for childhood malnutrition in most cases.

Awonge community, with over a thousand people, is not free of water related disease as many described it as a forgotten land where comfort of life is a luxury.

Ironically, the community is proud home to some prominent personalities of whom Nassarawa State and the Nation are proud.

The list includes the serving Senator Sulaiman Adokwe, His Royal Highness, Dr. Elisha Agwadu (the ZheMigili),Dogara Igube among others who were graduates of Sudan United Mission(SUM) primary school Awonge, established in 1916.

The Head of the area, Mai Angwan Abosho, Mr Sule Obile, said he grew up to cope with the stream water as the only source of water supply to the community.

“In fact, we have been living and surviving like this for many years, even before our fathers died. Though we are aware of the health challenges that are attached to this as many people in the past have educated us on it, but we have no option than living with this painful reality. And that is why you can see our women going to the stream to get the water without any fear.

“If the government dig a borehole for us, we will really appreciate the gesture because it will help our women and children from going to such a distance to get water,” he said.

The Mai Ungwa also disclosed that the only borehole in the community is no longer functional, saying the last time it served the people was 15 years.

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He, therefore, appealed to the government and private individuals to assist them repair the borehole as well as digging more to reduce the hardship being faced by his people.

Joseph Agu Haruna, a resident, also said, “We are here just like fish inside a well that cannot go anywhere because we are restricted. We have no space to move out once it rains in this place. Now if our women and children are sick seriously, we don’t know how to rush them to the hospital.

“In those days, River Awonge was clean for human consumption. But as population is increasing on daily basis, some items like sticks, leaves and other things have been thrown into the water, and these have made the water unsafe for drinking. We are also crying to the government to assist us by providing potable water to our village”, he said.

Another resident, GodiyaEllah also said, “You discovered that there are farmers in Awonge, I mean good hard working farmers. But there is no good road to transport their crops. So, the government should extend its hands to the community to help the masses,” he pleaded.