In several communities in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, abandoned government boreholes adorn the landscape leaving supposed beneficiaries grappling with water shortage. BISI OLADELE examines how boreholes dug by government at all levels multiply daily while many existing ones are abandoned.
Majaro and Oke-Apon communities sit in the heart of the city of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Accessible and highly populated, the communities have a good share of boreholes sunk by the government at the three levels – local, state and federal. Borehole water tanks are visible everywhere in the communities. While most of the government boreholes are abandoned, those sunk by private individuals selling water to residents in the communities stand tall as sources of potable water in the communities.
Aside making water available, however, the commercial borehole owners are not seen as good friends and neighbours because they sit on plenty of water but dispense to only those that can afford their prices. They are in good number, particularly in Majaro which sits atop alternate Mokola hill in Ajibade area of the city.
For visitors, the visibility of the borehole water tanks signifies availability of water. But the opposite is the reality because it is very difficult for the residents to buy the quantity of water needed by all members of the families for a decent living. In coping with the situation, residents store water used to wash clothes and dishes for flushing toilets. They also ration water for bathing and other purposes since it does not come free-of-charge or run in the tap in their homes. Their children walk some distances to buy water as they squeeze out of their meagre resources to get water for everyday domestic use. A family spends an average of N300 in water purchase daily. A resident, Mr Olaniyi Aduroja, described the situation as deliberate punishment.
Majaro community shares the peculiarity with Mokola and other communities that perch on hills. Due to their unique location, they are unable to dig wells to get water for several domestic use. They are, therefore, forced to buy water from commercial borehole owners for all their use.
Now they are seeking an end to an era they described as deceit and punishment. According to them, politicians and local governments punish residents by sinking boreholes and abandoning them after a few months. Rather than maintain existing ones, the politicians sink new ones, some of which are abandoned in no time.
Experts are also worried about the proliferation of boreholes. They insisted that the danger of sinking many boreholes is already staring us in the face with polluted water flowing from borehole taps and general scarcity of water which now forces drillers to go deeper into the ground before getting enough quantity and quality water.
Why many government boreholes are abandoned
As is the case in Oke-Apon, the lawmaker who facilitated the borehole ignored geoscience report by insisting that it must be dug in a particular location where many more people can see it and praise him. The community members told The Nation that the present location of the borehole used to be a sewage. After it was dug, the water was not potable. So, when it developed fault, nobody was committed to its repair.
A lecturer at the Department of Geology, University of Ibadan, Dr Akinade Olatunji, also identified the problem as corruption. The don believes that politicians prefer to sink boreholes as a project that can fetch them money and also serve as proof of performance in the eye of their constituents. He added that they also prefer to sink them in particular locations to score political points in the community, even if geoscience report does not favour the location. 
Olatunji further explained that boreholes are also abandoned because groundwater is not available in unlimited quantity everywhere. Hence, they should be sunk in locations where water is in good quantity, and where it will be replenished and create less danger for the earth formation. When all these are not considered, the borehole may not function maximally, he said.
Adding his voice to the explanation, a chief executive of a borehole drilling company who spoke in confidence told The Nation that maintenance is the major factor contributing to the problem of abandoning boreholes. According to him, the benefitting communities are not able to maintain them due to electricity supply challenges. He recalled that the Ogun-Osun River Basin once introduced hand-pump boreholes to overcome electricity supply challenge. He said bicycle and motorcycle technicians were trained at the time on how to repair the hand-pump machines, making them more durable than the electric pump boreholes.
He explained that a borehole is made up of three components – the pump, generator house and tank stand which contains tanks and tap points. He said when any of the components develops fault and it is not repaired, the entire project becomes abandoned. “Only little sums are needed to maintain them. Once the communities are not committed to the project, it does not take time to be abandoned. So, the main issue is maintenance.” He said.
The way out
AbdulRauf Abiodun is the President, Unique Youths Forum 10, Oke-Apon. He heads the team managing a new borehole sunk by youths in the community after the one sunk by the government through a federal legislator was abandoned. The new borehole functions well and serves the community.
He told The Nation that a borehole project will be effective if the community is fully involved in its choice and siting. He said once the community is involved the decision to have it, then such project would be handed over to the community for maintenance. That way, it will be owned by the residents.
Abiodun said residents need water. They come from several metres to fetch water from the borehole. A member of the youth group was employed to sell water to residents at a token. The group maintains the borehole from the revenue.
Instead of sinking new boreholes everywhere, Dr Olatunji also recommended that once the government and politicians follow geoscience reports, those sunk will produce enough water for the immediate community. Then, it can be redistributed to homes and other public points for the convenience of residents.
Also speaking in favour of redistribution of water from a point where large quantity of water is being extracted, the chief executive recalled that he once visited Jamaica where he learnt that sinking of borehole is highly regulated by the government because water is seen as a resource. According to him, water is effectively redistributed to homes from a borehole point. “Even if you sink a borehole in your house with government permission, anytime your neighbour applies to sink in his compound, the government will direct you to pipe water to him but he will pay you through the government. That is seriousness with water supply.” He said.
When more people access water in their homes or at public points closer to their homes, it reduces pressure on the only point, he posited.
For the long time solution, Dr Olatunji advised the government to empower all relevant government agencies to collect reliable scientific data about ground water in Nigeria. He added that the government should also embark on extensive hydrological mapping of the country to be able to determine with precision the quantity and location of groundwater across the country.
Oyo State Government’s approach
A reliable source in the Oyo State Water Corporation, told The Nation that there was an ongoing water project that will drastically improve water supply to Mokola and several communities in Ibadan
According to the source, the Oyo State Government secured the financial support of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the project entitled: Ibadan Urban Water Improvement and Sanitation. According to the source, the project started about one year ago. The source added that pipelines are still being laid from Asejire Dam and other dams for improved water supply for so many communities in the city.
With the project, the source said residents will be able to connect water into their homes while the corporation would metre it. For those who are not able to afford that, particularly in rural communities, the source revealed that the project was making provision for stand pipes (public taps) where residents can fetch water at highly subsidized rates. Each stand pipe will have a management committee that will be set up by the community. The committee will remit N750 to the corporation weekly.
The project will cover areas such as Lalupon, Erunmu, Alakia, Mokola, Oke-Ado, Challenge,University of Ibadan, Apete, Bodija, Eleyele, Sugbe and some other areas with plan to accommodate Ojoo area in the near future. The project would take effect soon, the source revealed.