In Shongo Sarkin Yakki community, Gombe LGA, Gombe state, over 3,000 residents have been without clean water for over 25 years. This situation is still ongoing despite a N50m provision for a water pipeline and reticulation in the 2021 budget. The community has been without water since its inception, which has endangered their health and life.
In July 2021, Tracka visited the community to sensitize the residents on the water project allocated to the community and how to follow up for quality implementation.
When the team visited again in May 2022 to monitor the project’s progress, we discovered that the project, which is implemented by the Upper Benue River Basin Development Agency under the Ministry of Water Resources, had been abandoned by the contractor.
According to residents, the contractor came in November 2021 with a driller, but after some days, the equipment stopped working. The contractor left and has not returned to the community since then.
The community head mentioned that when the contractors came to the site, they had a meeting with the villagers where they discussed and agreed that a pipeline would be drawn from a neighbouring estate since the soil of the community cannot properly absorb water.
When we called the contractor, Engr Habilah Bassi on behalf of Hapco Multihydro Systems, he claimed that the machine he brought to drill the ground got faulty. He has had difficulties transporting the defective equipment out of the community and is working on bringing in a new one.
While it has taken over six months and counting for the contractor to resume on-site, residents have been lamenting how difficult it is to get water for consumption.
Mallam Yahaya, a resident spoke to Tracka about it.
“We are tired of complaining to the government to provide good water. The water here is bad, but we still drink it like that even after it makes us sick. Those of us that buy water are not much because a jerrycan (25 litres) of water is sold for N70, and people here don’t have the money.” he said.
Aminatu, a mother of three, complained bitterly about the lack of water during the dry seasons.
“At least we can still manage this bad water, but during the dry season, we can’t get any water, even the bad one. It is a terrible situation. This same water is what we use to cook, drink and also take our baths and it has affected our health as most of us are being treated with typhoid.”
We urge the Ministry of Water Resources and Upper Benue River Basin Development Agency to reach out to the contractor to complete the project. Residents of Sarkin Yakki have been suffering for many years, and relief must be provided soonest.
Story by Ayomide Ladipo and Esther Lamon.
