Residents of Kankarofi/Bakin Kura area of Bauchi metropolis have lamented the shortage of pipe-borne water supply in the area, which has made them prone to water-borne diseases most especially, cholera.
While expressing their lamentation, the women leader of the area, Khadija Mohammed who spoke with Tribune Online said that for the past five years now, the residents have been living without a clean source of water supply.
She added that, as it is now, residents of the area only get water supply once every week specifically on Tuesdays, a development she opined has negatively affected life of the people because according to her, with the struggle for water every Tuesday, children no longer go to school while married women who are in purdah are forced to come out.
The women leader who was pathetic about the situation appealed to all relevant authorities to come to their aid in order to avoid outbreak of pipe-borne diseases particularly, cholera.
Another resident of the area, Bashir Umar expressed displeasure over the situation which he said needs to be taken care of urgently, in order to avoid cholera outbreak considering that residents of the area are at risk.
He also joined in appealing to the government to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the residents saying that, “though we are part of Bauchi metropolis, we are not enjoying social amenities particularly clean water”.
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At another area of the metropolis, Kandahar, the situation is the same as residents of the area are finding it difficult to access clean water alleging that most times when water is released, they find all sorts of worms and maggots inside.
While reacting to the development, Managing Director of Bauchi State Urban Water, Sewage Corporation, Engnr Aminu Aliyu Gital said that government is aware of the situation and is doing everything humanly possible to tackle it once and for all.
Aminu Aliyu Gital while tracing the history of water problems in Bauchi explained that successive administrations in the state have done their best to solve the problem but it has remained insurmountable due to one reason or another, assuring that something positive is would be done now.
The BSUWSC MD pointed out that work is in progress to uplift water situation in the state particularly, Bauchi metropolis, assuring that when it is completed in July 2020, all residents of Bauchi, including those living in the high-level areas will get regular water supply.
The awareness on water followed an advocacy/training conducted by Society for Water and Sanitation {NEWSAN} in partnership with WASH Media and Bauchi LGA WASH unit on WASH Right at Kandahar and Bakin Kura communities during which women in the areas raised issues of lack of clean water, thereby making the areas cholera hotspots.
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