The Nation Newspaper

Tag: water

  • Water supply: Solar plant to the rescue

    Water supply: Solar plant to the rescue

    A solar-powered plant will boost water supply and save millions of naira, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU

    A SOLAR-POWERED  plant at the Lower Usuma Dam Water Treatment facility in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will enhance water supply and save the country about N305 million.

    This will be a huge relief to residents of the nation’s capital who, especially those in the suburbs, search hard to find life’s most precious liquid.

    The Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Adebisi Adebayo made, an engineer, announced the development while inspecting the introduction of clean energy by solar electricity generation system project at the plant.

    He said the project funded with a grant of 8.8 million dollars from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will on completion, be linked to the national grid, thereby reducing the cost of  power supply.

    He said the government is working to explore the solar energy in the North and hydro in the South as sources of clean energy in ensuring stable electricity supply in the country.

    His words: “There is a technical capacity going on whereby engineers from the ministry, from water board, from Abuja discos and some other engineers are being trained in the maintainance of this but we realised that this project is sited in the water board so the engineers here are well-trained so that they can take over to sustain the project.

    “The project is about 918 million Japanese yen. It will save Nigeria N305 million per year. In the day time you can be guaranteed constant power but in the night it may not be. It reduces the cost of electricity to this station in particular.

    “One of the things we have done in my department at the ministry is to have what we call (REMO), it means Renewable Energy Micro Greed Utility. It is a form of utility on its own that can be readily deployed to areas and villages that a far in the Remote Areas from the greed which in the next 20 years they may not have electricity.

    “But you can bring electricity to them by using powers that are below 1MW. Like this one new you can have it in some communities. 1 Mega Watts in a particular city or in a local government headquarters can solve the problem of that local Government.

    “We are also working on a method that you do not even need to go and print bills. You can recharge like your telephone with your handset and pay for your bill. It removes the human element and the issue on return on investment is now guaranteed.”

    The president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Shinichi Kitaoka while reiterating the commitment of the Japan to ensuring the stability and development of the Nigeria said the development of Africa is hinged on how fast Nigeria develops.

    “Without the development and stability of Nigeria it may be difficult to expect the development of Africa,” he said.

    He said clean energy is important and the location of project inside the water treatment plant is quite commendable, “this is a very good idea to have water treatment plant and power station in the same place.

    “Japan as a global power express sympathy for Nigeria and supports the country to ensure its stability and progress. The world is also more concerned about energy.

    “We are a rice production country and we have high technology of rice production. My first impression after inspecting here is that this is a very green area and Nigeria has great potential in agriculture and it is strange that Nigeria is importing rice. You could export rice with this weather. So we are hoping that we can cooperate more so that we can produce more rice and export rice.”

    The director of the FCT Water Board,  Hudu Bello said though the board has been supplying water regularly to the residents, the project when completed would augment the efficiency of the board.

    He said the board can now conserve energy and reduce the cost of buying diesel to power the water treatment plants.

    “It will guarantee continuous water supply,”he said.

  • Nigerian in Sweden builds eye centre, provides water

    Nigerian in Sweden builds eye centre, provides water

    A Sweden-based businessman, Chief Daniel Ogbonnaya has built an eye treatment centre and donated five water boreholes for his people of Lodu and Lohum Imenyi communities in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The medical facility named GOK Eye Centre was completed and equipped with modern facilities and qualified eye experts drawn from different hospitals in Nigeria, including the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia.

    Chief Ogbonnaya built and donated five water boreholes for his people of Lodu Imenyi to end their search for clean water.

    Conducting newsmen round the projects, the younger brother of the philanthropist Mr Tony Ogbonnaya revealed that his brother was determined to transform the condition of his people, which made him to attract those facilities to them.

    The younger Ogbonnaya stated that the eye clinic where he is a staff, now attracts patients from different towns Ohafia, Igbere, Item, Isukwuato, Ozu Abam, Alayi, Nkporo, Nkpa, Akara and even Umuahia, the state capital, pointing out that the efficient and affordable treatment offered to patients was responsible for the large turnout of patrons to the clinic.

    Tony went ahead to disclose that even the elderly people that suffered from arthritis were equally treated at the centre and given some drugs, stressing that many of the patients either had their bills subsidized or written off completely by the centre.

    Apart from the Eye clinic and water boreholes projects, Chief Ogbonnaya has also been sponsoring some brilliant students from his area to educational institutes of repute to realise their academic potentials.

    He is also, presently building a sprawling housing estate at Lohum Junction along the busy Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara Road, off Colony Road, to provide affordable housing units for his people and in helping to boost commercial activities in his area, including re-roof St Paul’s Catholic Church where he worships when he is in the country.

    In appreciation of Chief Ogbonnaya’s numerous contributions to the development of his community, the traditional ruler of Lodu Imenyi autonomous community, Eze Jeremiah Nworisara honored him with a title of Aku Ruo Ulor 1 [meaning: someone who attracts  wealth and other good things to his people] and this has further spurred him to do more for them.

  • Lawmaker ends communities’ water woes

    Lawmaker ends communities’ water woes

    A member of the House of Representatives representing Arochukwu/Ohafia  Uko Nkole has sunk some boreholes in his constituencies.

    The gesture brought relief to the residents who marvelled not just at his magnanimity but also at the speed with which the projects were completed.

    A few months ago Nkole had undertaken to sink boreholes for some communities under his constituency which had never had potable water since their existence but only depended on streams which are far away from them and in most cases polluted.

    The beneficiaries expressed their delight at the completion of the water boreholes in record time which has ended their suffering.

    One of those who spoke with our correspondent at Ndiokereke and Ndi Oji Abam, Kalu Nsi said that with the completion of the water borehole that it has put an end to the long years of suffering and trekking over long distances to streams in search of potable water.

    Nsi said, “We are very happy, this is the first time the community is benefitting from such a gesture from any of its representatives, whether at the state or federal level; at last we can boast of having access to potable water devoid of diseases.

    “However, we want to use this opportunity to call on our representative Uko Nkole to continue to do the good work; we are assuring him that we will protect the water projects from being vandalised, as we are going to ensure that our youths take turns to guard them.”

    At Ekelogo community, Ohafia, the story of excitement was the same. Children were seen fetching water from the water project which is an indication that the era of paying tanker drivers for water has come to an end or waiting and praying for rain to fall for them to harvest water.

    The youth secretary of the Ekeluogo community, Udo Franklin told our correspondent that their ordeal in search of water which made them to approach the honourable member during an interactive meeting to complain about their plight has come to an end.

    Franklin explained that when Nkole heard about their persistent water problem, he did not waste time in approving and providing the required funds for work to commence without delay.

    He said, “Today as you can see, we are proudly fetching water from our doorsteps, without walking long distances like before. We are indeed indebted to our representative at the lower chamber of the National Assembly for remembering his people who have suffered for a long time.”

    Nkole did other things for the community. He built a five classroom block for them in their village school.

    A member of the community who gave his name as Elekwa Akuma said that they are grateful that at last, the community has benefitted from dividend of democracy that eluded them for years with the building of the new classroom block by Nkole.

    Akuma said that their Amaukwu community has been neglected and abandoned, by successive representatives which made their children to learn in dilapidated school buildings that are unfit for learning and inhabitable, while in some cases the children were taught under the tree during dry season.

    He said that the school building which is fifty percent completed would be ready soon, “When completed we will be sure that our children will get the best from their teachers as the learning environment will be conducive for their education”.

    Speaking with The Nation, Nkole assured that all the projects started by him in any part of his constituency will be completed in record time, stressing that he has seen the pains being experienced by the people of his constituency.

    Nkole said that the pains of his people are a big burden on him, “I am determined to ensure that the pains are tackled so that my constituents will live a better life which they are entitled to as decent human beings”.

    He explained that most of the projects cost him huge amount of money which he said cannot be compared to the joy and excitement being seen on the faces of the people, stressing that government is when people who are representing them do what they supposed to do.

    The federal lawmaker disclosed that his objective is touching the lives of his constituents and that the projects are being funded from his allowances. “I will spare nothing to ensure that my constituents are given a new lease of life, after all apart from making laws for the country, helping my people is another aspect of my being at the national assembly”.

     

  • Water Commission reopens CWAY

    Water Commission reopens CWAY

    The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, (LSWRC) at the weekend reopened CWAY Nigeria Drinking Water Science and Technology Company Limited, a popular water producing company at Oshodi Industrial Scheme that was sealed off last Thursday.

    LSWRC Executive Secretary Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi said the company was reopened following compliance monitoring and enforcement that was carried out. “For the past three days, we have been going through the rigours to ensure the compliance of the company to regulatory procedures and guidelines of the commission. We would still continue to go through the details of the various aspects of the production process to fully certify it.

    Abullahi said the closure was because the company did not declared the Oshodi branch to the commission.

    “It is unknown to us. The activities here were previously unknown to the commission. When we discovered, we had to take that action, now we would go through the process of regularisation and review towards fully certifying the activities here. This is not to say other branches of CWAY were also locked; other branches have remained operational. It is only this particular facility that the compliance enforcement took place,” he said.

    Abdullahi said the company did not pay any specific fine before it was reopened, adding: “but there were payments for regulatory provisions for water extraction, for licensing and for permit which they have complied with.”

    With exception to the Oshodi facility, the water commission boss commended CWAY factory, saying: “they have been doing well in their other facilities according to our record.”

    CWAY Group Brand Communications Director Oscar Ikoro, said the company was not hidden anything from the government.

    “I believe the government knows that we have this factory. This is perhaps the oldest factory in Lagos for water. It has been more than five years now. There is not really an issue of not knowing that we have a factory. Our factories are very open,” he said.

    He thanked the commission for reopening the place.

    “CWAY is the best water producing firm in the country. We have over the years tried to ensure that we help Nigerians to have clean drinking water. That is what we are all about. In fact, our facilities are perhaps the best that you can find around. Our water is the best and I can even ask you ask you to go and do a test so you can see that our water is the best. Talk of safety, of quality, CWAY is the best. So, there is no doubt about that but it’s just that this agency is a new agency and we are learning to be friends and to work together,” he said.

  • Water shortage: A Corps member’s solution

    Water shortage: A Corps member’s solution

    A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has lifted the spirits of rural dwellers by providing them water, GRACE OBIKE reports

    Residents of rural parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have a lot to thank private citizens for. In such parts of town, social amenities are few but it is usually non-government persons or even non-Nigerians who throw in some food here, clothing there to help the people get by. Take internally displaced persons or IDPs in the FCT. They live in uncompleted buildings and have little food and poor water supply. They often fall ill and cannot easily get medicine or treatment. But from time to time, private citizens stop by with supplies while the government stays pretty much aloof.

    Recently, a foreign country took pictures of life in such rural communities and went about selling the shots to raise money for the communities.

    Now, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has to a large extent solved the water challenges of Dafara residents in Kuje council. The residents usually drink from a stream and age-old wells, and often come down with such water-borne diseases as cholera.

    Sometimes, individuals and groups would take free medicines to them but none ever solved their water problems.

    Mr Friday Okolie, who served with the Air Force, took it upon himself to provide Dafara with borehole water as part of his Community Development Service (CDS) Project. He got help from well-meaning people but the whole idea was his.

    The project started after he heard that the community was facing severe water shortages.

    Okolie said, “The project was informed by the medical outreach embarked upon by my colleagues to the community which exposed their lack of potable drinking water and other social amenities. Prior to the project, the major source of their water supply was local wells and stream which led to the death of many through polio, cholera, fever and other water related diseases. I also donated generator to them to enable them pump the water”.

    In appreciation, the community did not only welcome the Corps member as one of theirs but gave him a plot of land in the community and a chieftaincy title of Sarkin Noma II of Dafara.

    Okolie shed more light on his work, saying, “This project was initiated the day Corps members serving with the Nigerian Air Force Hospital came back from a free medical outreach and narrated the nature of the community they visited and the urgency required to provide for them more medical and other facilities. I henceforth decided to visit some communities in Kuje to know how I could help in my own [way] to provide for them whatever they needed most through NYSC platform.

    “When I got to this Dafara community and after much observation and assessment of their challenges   including lack of healthcare facilities, schools, good drinking water and good road, among others, I discovered that their most pressing need begging for urgent help is potable water which has been their major predicament for years.”

    He said the community chief, Joseph Makeri, explained that the Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG’s) borehole they depended on has collapsed and stopped working for years and since then, they depend on their local wells and stream for water.

    “To my total dismay, many have died of polio, cholera, fever and other water diseases in this community as a result of lack of good drinking water.”

    The Corps member who mobilised human, material and financial resources provided the community with a borehole, an overhead tank stand, water tank and generator, challenged fellow corps members to take advantage of every opportunity to initiate positive ideas geared towards impacting and contributing to the society during their service year.

    He said, “For those calling for the scrapping of NYSC, I appeal for a rethink, instead of scraping NYSC, lets suggest good ideas and policies that will move the organisation forward.

    “To my fellow corps members, as we obey the clarion call and lift our nation high under the sun or in the rain with dedication and selflessness let us not forget to initiate positive ideas that are geared towards impacting and contributing to the society. I urge you to be leaders anywhere you find yourself and also have the courage to dare things that may seem impossible. At first, you may fail or get defeated but you may also succeed. I could remember I told one of my friends of this idea and his response was “you, can you dig a well”? The thought of the fact that I am a corps member gave me self-confidence and the courage that made it a success. However, I must confess that was tasking but the fact remains that every success has its own challenges.

    “The place of my primary Assignment – Nigerian Airforce and its regimental ways doing things thought me a lot of knowledge and enormous experience which will forever remain to pave ways for me.”

     

  • Niger residents groan as water scarcity worsens

    Life’s most precious liquid has been hard to come by in Niger State for weeks and there is little sign that the worst is over. Residents have been groaning as a result.

    Water boreholes have hardly made any difference because there has been no electricity to power them. There has been little or no supply of water from the state water board; when the board does pump water, only about 30 per cent of residents manage to get it.

    Even the Mai Ruwa or water vendors, who usually push their trucks about, are hard to come by; when they are seen, their fees are exorbitant.

    Members of the state House of Assembly have expressed concern over the development. The legislators urged the state government to do something and provide the people with water. They also asked for the upgrade of the water board.

    The call was made following a motion moved by the member representing Bosso Constituency, Hon Madaki Malik Bosso urging the state government to work in improving water supply in the state.

    Bosso noted that the supply of adequate water in the state has completely deteriorated adding that a lot of areas have been completely cut off from water supply.

    He added that the state water board which is supposed to supply the state with water has been commercialised as private water tankers who buy from the board and sell to residences at exorbitant prices adding that the water board needs a complete overhaul of equipments to meet up with the increasing expansion and populace of the state.

    He said, “It is pathetic to see people going up and down searching for water, even the truck pushers are not easily accessible. People hardly get water to drink, cook and bathe.

    “Government must make sure that the needs of the citizens are catered for. Water is first before anything. That is what prompted me to bring out the motion. Government have to find a lasting solution to water in the state.”

    After deliberation, the Legislators urged the government to direct the water board to engage their water tankers to supply water on regular basis at subsidised rate to people in the state while stressing on the need for the government to extend the ongoing water project in the state to meet up with adequate water supply.

     

  • Residents beg Ambode to prioritise water, roads, electricity in Badagry

    Residents of Badagry have urged Governor Akinwu-nmi Ambode and the lawmakers from the area to prioritise provision of water, roads and transformers for the people.

    The residents made the plea at the official inauguration of eight modern boreholes donated to the Badagry Constituency II by the lawmaker representing the area, Mr Setonji David.

    Setonji, who represents Badagry Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, donated the boreholes to mark the 2016 World Water Day in his constituency.

    He said he decided to provide the boreholes to make potable water available because many residents had no access to potable water in the area.

    According to him, many ailments and diseases could be prevented by access to potable water.

    He said: “Water is life and it is one of the basic necessities of life. It is unfortunate that many people still walk long distance in search of water, water scarcity and stress is still on the rise. When we provide clean water for citizens, they will be healthy and we will spend less money on health care.

    “In Badagry, most people do not have access to potable water and we cannot continue to look and leave them in their plight. I want to appeal to Gov. Ambode to come to the rescue of Badagry people and other areas with water challenge.”

    The lawmaker who is Chairman, House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development assured the residents that government was working hard to improve electricity and roads.

    Pastor Olusegun Odesanya, the Chairman, Ibiye Town Community Development Association (CDA) in Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA), said residents had challenges of potable water.

    The cleric said: “The challenge of water here is so much that we have started using this borehole long before today using our power generator for pumping of water.”

    Also speaking, Alhaja Oluwakemi Idowu, the Woman Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Olorunda LCDA’s Ward C, who commended the lawmaker for the borehole, said that residents spend a lot of money to buy potable water.

    Baale of Agemowo in the same LCDA, Chief Solomon Godonu said,”We thank the lawmaker but we need more development in the area of road and electricity. Our roads are bad.”

    The boreholes are located in  Itakete Quarter, Singbomeh Compound Age Mowo,  New layout close , Ilogbo Eremi, and  Ago Egun Quarters, Ibiye in Olorunda LCDA , Badagry.

     

  • Water shortage: Corps member to the rescue

    Water shortage: Corps member to the rescue

    A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has lifted the spirits of rural dwellers by providing them water, GRACE OBIKE reports

    Residents of rural parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have a lot to thank private citizens for. In such parts of town, social amenities are few but it is usually non-government persons or even non-Nigerians who throw in some food here, clothing there to help the people get by. Take internally displaced persons or IDPs in the FCT. They live in uncompleted buildings and have little food and poor water supply. They often fall ill and cannot easily get medicine or treatment. But from time to time, private citizens stop by with supplies while the government stays pretty much aloof.

    Recently, a foreign country took pictures of life in such rural communities and went about selling the shots to raise money for the communities.

    Now, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has to a large extent solved the water challenges of Dafara residents in Kuje council. The residents usually drink from a stream and age-old wells, and often come down with such water-borne diseases as cholera.

    Sometimes, individuals and groups would take free medicines to them but none ever solved their water problems.

    Mr Friday Okolie, who served with the Air Force, took it upon himself to provide Dafara with borehole water as part of his Community Development Service (CDS) Project. He got help from well-meaning people but the whole idea was his.

    The project started after he heard that the community was facing severe water shortages.

    Okolie said, “The project was informed by the medical outreach embarked upon by my colleagues to the community which exposed their lack of potable drinking water and other social amenities. Prior to the project, the major source of their water supply was local wells and stream which led to the death of many through polio, cholera, fever and other water related diseases. I also donated generator to them to enable them pump the water”.

    In appreciation, the community did not only welcome the Corps member as one of theirs but gave him a plot of land in the community and a chieftaincy title of Sarkin Noma II of Dafara.

    Okolie shed more light on his work, saying, “This project was initiated the day Corps members serving with the Nigerian Air Force Hospital came back from a free medical outreach and narrated the nature of the community they visited and the urgency required to provide for them more medical and other facilities. I henceforth decided to visit some communities in Kuje to know how I could help in my own [way] to provide for them whatever they needed most through NYSC platform.

    “When I got to this Dafara community and after much observation and assessment of their challenges   including lack of healthcare facilities, schools, good drinking water and good road, among others, I discovered that their most pressing need begging for urgent help is potable water which has been their major predicament for years.”

    He said the community chief, Joseph Makeri, explained that the Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG’s) borehole they depended on has collapsed and stopped working for years and since then, they depend on their local wells and stream for water.

    “To my total dismay, many have died of polio, cholera, fever and other water diseases in this community as a result of lack of good drinking water.”

    The Corps member who mobilised human, material and financial resources provided the community with a borehole, an overhead tank stand, water tank and generator, challenged fellow corps members to take advantage of every opportunity to initiate positive ideas geared towards impacting and contributing to the society during their service year.

    He said, “For those calling for the scrapping of NYSC, I appeal for a rethink, instead of scraping NYSC, lets suggest good ideas and policies that will move the organisation forward.

    “To my fellow corps members, as we obey the clarion call and lift our nation high under the sun or in the rain with dedication and selflessness let us not forget to initiate positive ideas that are geared towards impacting and contributing to the society. I urge you to be leaders anywhere you find yourself and also have the courage to dare things that may seem impossible. At first, you may fail or get defeated but you may also succeed. I could remember I told one of my friends of this idea and his response was “you, can you dig a well”? The thought of the fact that I am a corps member gave me self-confidence and the courage that made it a success. However, I must confess that was tasking but the fact remains that every success has its own challenges.

    “The place of my primary Assignment – Nigerian Airforce and its regimental ways doing things thought me a lot of knowledge and enormous experience which will forever remain to pave ways for me.”

     

  • Nigeria among top 10 countries without access to water

    Nigeria features third in the world on a list of top ten countries with the greatest number of people living without access to safe water, an international agency, WaterAid Nigeria, has said.

    The agency said that the country remained one of the worst in the world for household water access.

    The Country Representative of the agency, Dr. Michael Ojo, said that the country’s sanitation continued to worsen with just only 29 per cent of the population having access to improved sanitation services.

    Ojo, who spoke at a policy dialogue organised by the agency to celebrate its 20th existence in Nigeria, explained that despite claims by Federal Government that access to water and sanitation had reached 67  and 41 per cent respective, added that over 60 million Nigerians and 100million, still lacked access to clean water and basic sanitation.

    He said that lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) was having negative impact on Nigeria’s economic and social development, including progress on gender equality.

    Citing a report, the WaterAid Nigeria boss said: “Nigeria features 17th on the list of the top 20 most improved countries for water access over the past 15 years, the Giant of Africa is also one of the worst in the world for household water access (that is, piped water on premises) and features third in the world on a list of the top ten countries with the greatest numbers of people living without access to safe water.

    “The lack of WASH and other essential services creates a massive crisis for developing countries like Nigeria – undermining health systems, education, economic development, and progress on gender equality.  WASH underpins progress on a whole range of SDG Goals and it is crucial in our view that our Government recognises the importance of WASH for Nigeria’s economic and social development, and ensures that Goal 6 is embedded in national action plans,” he stressed.

    Ojo said that the agency, in the past 29 years, had been transforming lives in Nigeria through facilitating access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

    He said that the agency’s work has led to sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene for 2 million Nigerians.

    While reiterating WaterAid’s vision, he said, the organisation desires a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation.  “Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 23 million people with safe water and, since 2004, 21 million people with sanitation.

  • Hope for water in communities

    Hope for water in communities

    The Netherlands has a unique plan of providing water for Abuja rural communities: selling pictures of the deprived settlements and sinking boreholes with the proceeds. GRACE OBIKE reports

    The challenges of communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are well documented. Their roads are nearly impassable. Electricity supply is unreliable. Schools are poorly equipped where they exist. Water supply is woeful.

    What is less reported is what is being done to solve the problems.

    That is where the Netherlands comes in. The country wants to help by providing safe drinking water for the communities, but it aims to achieve the plan in quite a style.

    Its media partner, Media Information Narrative Development (MIND),  went to several such villages, took so many pictures and plans to sell them to people who sympathise with the deprived communities and want to help.

    Residents of such villages as  Kubwa, Karu, Nyanya, Karamajiji, Kuchigoro and a lot of other places buy water from vendors at a huge cost.

    In some communities, residents trek for miles in search of water everyday, something the ambassador of Netherlands John Groffen believes affects their productivity, prevents them from working and being productive enough to make money.

    He explained that unlike most countries, the Netherlands understand the merits and demerits of water since theirs is a country that has experienced several floods of which they have been forced to understand how to manage the excess water to their advantage.

    “It is about raising awareness about the position of poor women living in Nigeria, so we thought of combining the International Women’s Day and Waters Day and come up with a common team and so we came up with water, women and works. So what we try to do with this event which is part of a series of events is to show how fetching water on a daily basis, affects the productivity of women, prevents them from working, from being productive and making money, this exhibition is second in the part of the series of events where we try to raise awareness about the issue.

    “We choose the combination of work, water and women because the Netherlands is a country that is known for water management, we have learnt since centuries to fight against water, we know the importance of water, our country has been flooded many times and we have found ways of protecting our country from flood, we know the danger of water but we also know that water can bring a lot of good.

    “We looked at the similarities, the importance of water in the Netherlands and the importance of water in Nigeria. We decided on the FCT because we have the idea that there are areas in Nigeria that are affected more by the lack of water and if you just travel five minutes, ten minutes out of Abuja, you will be confronted with the reality. So the more people that buy the pictures, the more money we raise, the more that can be done for the specific purpose.

    “MIND is our media partner, we do a lot of programmes with them, the position of women and children, vulnerable elements in the society is something that we focus on and we have been working with them on a couple of projects, also daughters of the Niger delta which is a movie about the situation of women in the area, we do a lot of these projects and this is one of them,” Groffen said.

    The kingdom of Netherlands recently collaborated with MIND to provide potable water to as many communities in the FCT as possible. They visited several of such communities and chronicled their everyday struggle to fetch water, sometimes miles away from their homes. They took pictures of such everyday struggles, enlarged the pictures which where framed and displayed in a gallery, the proceeds from the sale of the pictures will be used to sink boreholes in communities like Kuchigoro, Karamajiji and a lot more.

    Programme Director, MINDS, Ilse Lamoen-Isoun explained that the advantage of these women carrying gallons of water everyday does not only affect their productivity but health because it can lead to severe body aches.

    She said, “The exhibition portrays the water problems that many women here in the FCT face, by water problem we mean inadequate access to clean water, we are trying to show how that impacts women, it’s no news that there is access to water, I think most people already know it but somehow not much is done about it so, we say maybe if we bring out some of the human stories and we really make people feel what it’s like to have to carry all that water for hours through communities or to pay for water with your hard earned money which some of this people don’t have much of anyway but now they have to pay for each and every drop of clean water they want to use, we want to make people feel what it means.”