In May 2021, we visited the Bagaruwa community in Mani LGA, Katsina State. We discovered that over 20,000 people have been battling water scarcity for over 20years. Residents used to walk over eight kilometres to access water from a small stream, then, in 2013, an NGO intervened by constructing a borehole to ease their problems, but it was not enough.
The community had only one clean water source, so residents had to engage in fistfights before they could fetch water.
They narrated to Tracka how their children missed school while queuing to fetch water because they could spend over 8hours in the queue before getting 25litres of water.
“Our children cannot go to school because they spend a whole day fetching water, and sometimes the water is not even enough. The cart pushers are very expensive, they sell 20litres of water for N50, and many people can’t afford it.”
At the village head’s palace, we sensitized the community members on how they could engage the government to bring water to the community and solve other problems they have. The community agreed to write letters to all their representatives at the state and federal levels concerning the water issue.
We also advised them to write the letters in Hausa to convey their predicament perfectly and add an emotional urgency to the tone. The letters were sent to the Senator, House of Representatives, state house of Representatives, the Governor, the state Commissioner of water resources, and other stakeholders.
In February 2022, the residents called to inform us that the upgrading and expansion of the project by the Katsina State government had commenced. The community now has an 18,000litre capacity borehole with three outlets where they can fetch water, thereby de-congesting the water traffic.
“We are grateful to Tracka for helping us appeal to the government to intervene. Now that we have other places to fetch water, our children can now go back to school to learn, and we have enough water to drink and use for our daily activities.” Ishaq, a youth in the community, told Tracka.
Tracka commends the Katsina state government for their intervention in providing other water sources for Bagaruwa people. This has eased the lives of over 20,000 people and will make over 2,000 children be able to return to school.
Public funds must work for the good of the people.
Story by Ayomide Ladipo and Mustapha Saddiq.
