SIR: The nonchalant attitude of the authorities to the extreme water scarcity being experienced in some parts of Funakaye, Dukku and Kwami Local Government Areas of Gombe North calls for serious concern.
Well water and earth dams are the only two sources of water in the affected communities. For decades, the people only taste of free and natural water during the rainy season. The wells dry up annually in early February after which the source would only be the earth dams for a month and some weeks before it goes off. They no longer hold water due to colluvium.
This situation remained unchecked in those areas, forcing the public of which 95% of them are subsistence farmers to rely on commercial water tankers, after selling their farm produce to buy water.
For instance, it costs N100 at Komi and Wawa villages of Funakaye Local Government to have 25 litres of water for domestic use and feeding of livestock. People living in villages like Kari and Gudu buy it at N150. A commercial water tanker of 45 drums costs N25,000 and that of 37-38 drums costs them N20,000. Three commercial water tankers supply them water from Biri, a neighbouring village.
In Dukku, 25 litres jerry can of water costs N70-80. The whole tanker of 38 drums that supplies the water from Gombe Abba, costs N12,000. At GaWam and Kwami, all in Kwami Local Government, 25litres jerry can of water costs N70-80 also. The commercial water tankers of 40 and 45 drums, supply water from the Gombe metropolis at the cost of N16,000 and N18,000 at GaWam, while it is N15,000 in Kwami.
The provision of potable water, adequate sanitation and hygiene are some of the primary responsibilities of state and local governments.
On November 19, 2020, the online medium, Premium Times reported that Gombe State Executive Council approved N250,000 as a counterpart fund for the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) for four Local Government Areas of Funakaye, Dukku, Kwami and Balanga.
Yet, water scarcity continues to be the lot of the aforementioned communities of the three targeted Local Government Areas.
Clean water and sanitation are the basic things to be enjoyed by all human beings. But that right has been thrown into the bin.
The United Nations General Assembly in 2010 recognized the right of citizens to water and sanitation and that, everyone is entitled to sufficient, safe, acceptable, continuous and affordable water for personal and domestic use.
The constituency has a senator and two members in the House of Representatives that can bring an end to this suffering. Or they can even collaborate with the state government.
For example, a senator receives N13million monthly. This means that, in a year, a senator receives N156million. In a single term, a senator rakes N624 million. Plus, a senator receives N200million as constituency project allowance.
On the other hand, every member of the House of Representatives receives N9million monthly. This means that he or she receives N108 annually. That comes to N432million in a single term. Plus, a sum of N100million for constituency project allowance. This is just a part of what they earn.
Now come to think of it; if these people mean well for their constituency, does anyone think the problem would persist? And to think that that most of the communities have been clamouring only for the desilting of their earth dams to ease their difficulties.
- Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin, Gombe.