President Muhammadu Buhari has, yesterday inaugurated the upgraded Bauchi township water supply in the state. The project is worth N23.5 billion.
President Buhari said access to potable water by Nigerians has remained part of his administration’s commitment.
He spoke at the Gubi Dam Water Board Corporation in Bauchi yesterday.
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha said the Federal Government, as it’s required of a multilateral donor-funded project, provided the sovereign guarantee as well as the critical supervision and oversight through the office of the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed said the project was necessitated by the growing population of the state which has over-stretched the public facilities in the state.
Mohammed said his administration has also commenced resuscitation of water schemes across the 20 local government areas of the state.
He commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for the intervention, assuring that the state government will ensure proper maintenance of the facilities.
“The World Bank gave an extension of six months at the first instance and later gave additional three months. This made it possible to complete the project which is being inaugurated today.
“The project is meant to resolve the water supply challenges of the Bauchi metropolis for the next 20 years and beyond. It will provide the water demand of over one million inhabitants of Bauchi metropolis.
“The Project was executed at the cost of N23, 596,194,172. Ninety per cent of this amount was borne by the World Bank while Bauchi State Government contributed 10 per cent as counterpart fund,” Governor Mohammed said.