Residents of Fulata, a remote village under Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State, trek miles to a pond where their children bathe, to get water. The pond is often polluted by cows, WikkiTimes can report.
According to the locals, many appeals have been made to the authorities, but there seems to be no commitment. When WikkiTimes visited the village, locals were seen thronging to the pond with jerricans in their hands.
“Our major problem is water. We have no source except this pond you are seeing,” said Mallam Ibrahim, a resident of the village. “We have to dig beneath it during both rainy days and dry seasons. If you we can have an alternative source we will be grateful.”
Malam Dahiru, another resident, was seen returning to the village with a water container on his head. According to him, he had to dig the pond for up to two feet before getting the water.
“I had to dig two feet into the ground for the water to start coming and it took me time before filling the container,” Dahiru told WikkiTimes. “We don’t normally send children to fetch water except in the morning because it will take them long.”
Wakili Shago, village Head of Fulata said it took them a kilometre before getting water from the pond with difficulties, especially during dry seasons.
“We have to trek for a kilometre to get water for our daily usage,” he said. “This pond is our only source of water, we sometimes have to go to neighbouring villages to source water when the pond dries.”
“Our animals are drinking from the same water,” he continued. “The children also bathed there. So we can not get out from being infected with diseases.”
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The village head noted that it has become a norm for his people to drink such water. He, however, pleaded with authorities to come to their aid.
When contacted, a member representing Hardawa Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Babayo Muhammed Akuyam, said the villagers have not contacted him to complain about their source of water. He claimed to have rehabilitated and constructed a number of dug wells in the area.
“I have personally dug wells in the area. Nobody from the place ever complained to me. since my assumption into the office, I have rehabilitated over 70 boreholes and constructed 10 new ones,” he told WikkiTimes. “In fact, Fulatan is one of the first villages where I rehabilitated dug wells and constructed new ones. The people you see fetching water from the pond may be segments of the village but we have done our best in the rehabilitation and construction of new dug wells. Ask them if have they ever complained to me or the local government.”
Checks by WikkiTimes showed that the lawmaker rehabilitated a borehole and some wells in the village. He also dug a well near Kofar Alhaji Bello, according to residents. But these facilities are not sufficient for the whole village and that is why some of them resort to the pond.
