The Gombe State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government has inaugurated a N11.49 billion regional water supply project in the state.
Inaugurating the project in Gombe on Friday, January 6, 2023, the Minister of Water Resources (FMWR), Mr Suleiman Adamu, said the project was aimed at rehabilitating, expanding and upgrading the water project in the state.
Adamu said that the project was in line with the provision of the National Water Supply and Sanitation policy of the Federal Government.
He said that the Federal Government’s intervention was to accelerate access to portable water in the county towards meeting national and internationally set targets.
Adamu said that over the years, the Federal Government had demonstrated its commitment to addressing water supply issues through policy and capital investments.
He said that since the Federal Government declared a state of emergency on water supply, the government had partnered several state governments for implementation of major urban supply projects which he said was yielding expected positive results.
Adamu said the Gombe regional water supply project was being carried out on a 70-30 per cent partnership agreement between the Gombe State Government and the Federal Government.
He said the Federal Government through FMWR was funding 30 per cent of the financial cost of the project which was N3.447 billion while Gombe State was funding 70 per cent amounting to N8.43 billion.
According to him, the state government is also bearing the cost of consultancy services which is N419 million.
While speaking, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said on his assumption of office in 2019, the water treatment plant in Dadin-Kowa was in a state of disrepair and had over N5 billion unpaid obligations to contractors and suppliers.
Yahaya stated that his administration had since 2019 undertaken essential repairs and rehabilitation of the project which enabled the state government to supply 50 million litres daily as against the 20 million daily supply.
He said with the population growth, the water project built in 2008 could no longer cater for residents of the state, hence the expansion and upgrade of the facility towards meeting contemporary water demand by citizens of the state.
The governor said through efforts by his administration to address the water challenges in the state, over 600 boreholes had been either constructed or rehabilitated to enhance supply to urban and rural communities.
While pledging to deliver the project before May, Yahaya commended President Muhammadu Buhari and Adamu for their support in water supply which he said would improve the wellbeing and welfare of the people of the state.
On his part, the Gombe state Commissioner of Water Resources, Mr Mijinyawa Yahaya, said the project comprised but not limited to the construction of three hybrid booster stations, mini water station, construction and laying of 160km of pipeline network of different sizes in all parts of the city.
He added that some existing water infrastructure would be rehabilitated and some solar-powered boreholes would be constructed.
“This is expected to tremendously upgrade our supply capacity and total outreach to nooks and crannies of the city and surroundings,” Yahaya said.
The commissioner appealed to residents of the state to reciprocate the gesture by the government by “guarding jealously all water infrastructure especially pipelines.
“It is disheartening to see leaking pipelines anywhere in the city knowing full well the huge amount of money government spends in getting treated water from a distance of over 50km,” he said.
Yahaya further appealed to beneficiaries of water supply in the state to show willingness in paying their water bills for the purpose of sustainability.
By Peter Uwumarogie
