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Emir of Zaria urges completion of water dam
By Femi Oyelola
Special
Correspondent, Kaduna
Disturbed by the
perennial water scarcity in Zaria, Kaduna State, people of Zazzau Emirate have
appealed to the Federal Government for the speedy completion of the
rehabilitation works on the dam in the ancient city.
The Emir of
Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, made the appeal while speaking with Daily
Independent in Zaria on the rehabilitation of the water project.
Water scarcity has
become a major problem in Zaria city and its environs like Sabo Gari, Samaru
and the ABU community. This has been a source of concern as children and adult
spend hours in search of water.
The alarming
proportion that the water scarcity has reached made the Federal Government last
year to award the rehabilitation works to an indigenous company, NALADO
Construction Company, based in Kaduna.
The project was
flagged off by President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 2003 with a two-year
completion period.
However, after 18
months, only about 20 per cent of the works have been completed. When Daily
Independent visited the site in Zaria, there was no sign that any tangible work
was going on and there was no sign of any contractor on site.
At the head office
of NALDO Construction Company in Kaduna, nobody was willing to provide
information as to the position of work on the project, as the chairman, Mr.
Sambo Nnamdi is said to be out of the country.
However, it was
gathered that about N200 million was given to the contractor out of the
contract sum of N1.2 billion. This according to our sources, is very inadequate
considering the works to be done.
Kaduna State
Commissioner for Water Resources Alhaji. Aliyu Ibraheem Arab said the contract
was a Federal Government project and Kaduna State Water Board, a parastatal
under his ministry, was only acting as co-supervisor.
At the Federal
Secretariat Kaduna, the zonal directors of water supply and irrigation refused
to speak on the issue. He directed the reporter to the Minister of Water
Resources for his comment.
However, during a
phone call to the officer of the Minister, Alhaji Muktar Shagari, one Ali
Abdullahi, who said he is the personal assistant to the minister, said the
necessary documentations for the payment of the contractor had been forwarded
to the Ministry of Finance and if there was any problems the finance ministry
should know better.
The problem
generated by this delay in the completion of the water project does not go well
with residents of Zaria city. A member of Zazzau Emirate Council and a
businessman, Alhaji Munir Jafar said the people of Zaria are undergoing
hardship because of the water scarcity and urged the Federal Government to do
something urgent.
A housewife, Hajia
Maimuna Hassan of Tudun Wada said “we buy 25 litres of water for about
N50 which means that an average household will spend about N400 daily on water
supply. Where do you expect us to get such money?” queried Hajia Maimuna
Hassan.
A community leader
in Sabo Gari area in Zaria, Mallam Idris Sulaiman said the Obasanjo’s
administration should complete the water project speedily and allow the people
to taste of the dividends of democracy.
For the contractor
to execute the project according to specification, the Federal Government must
fulfill its own part of the contractual agreement, by making funds available
for the project. Water sustains life and the Federal Government should ensure that
the water project is given the necessary priority, added Mallam Idris..
Succour may well
soon come to the people’s way through the $150 million water project
given to Ogun, Kano and Kaduna by a foreign donor agency through the Federal
Government. This was announced by the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs.
Nenadi Usman. But if the Zaria community will benefit from this, remains a
puzzle considering Kaduna State government’s committed to other areas in
the state to relief them of the water shortage.
Communities like
Birnin Gwari, Kafanchan, Saminaka and Anchau are already on the neck of the
state government to provide remedy for water shortage in their community.
Whatever the way solution comes from it is of the interest of the government
because continue delaying the completion of the rehabilitation of the water
project only shows the irresponsible and insensible of government of the day to
the cry of the people.
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