Lack of water in Dutsen Kura Gwari, a community leading to Niger State Government House, is forcing residents to depend on contaminated water from a pit, WikkiTimes can report.
The community, according to WikkiTimes’ spacial analysis is less than 2 kilometres from the seat of power in Minna, the capital of Niger State.
According to the residents, the lack of clean water leaves them with no option than the filthy one they solely depend on. However, the community resorted to fundraising as the government looks away.
One of the residents, Abdulkarim Salisu, initiated the fundraising campaign tagged ‘Community Initiative Development.’
“I felt bad for the people of the community and immediately I consulted my friends. We created a forum called Community Initiative Development in which we want to help check urgent community projects we publicise and help raise funds.
“As for now, I and my colleagues under the umbrella of the initiative have started a fundraising campaign to bring positive change to the community and other communities suffering a similar fate”, Salisu told WikkiTimes.
He further called on politicians and individual philanthropists to support the initiative to positively impact the communities.
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When contacted, the information officer, Niger State Ministry of Water Resources, Mohammed Mohammed told WikkiTimes that the area in question is not connected with the state water pipeline and can not benefit from water supply.
“The last time governor Abubakar Sani Bello gave a directive for the expansion and rehabilitation of the water pipeline to some affected communities, the rehabilitation took place,” Mohammed claimed. “We were hoping to commence the expansion which will cover the areas without a pipeline but something came up and the process was put on hold.”
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He further assured this paper that he will convey its concern to the commissioner, adding that the community would be included in the next phase of the pipeline expansion.
“We are aware of the community you are talking about, but God willing next year, before the end of the present administration, if the 2023 proposed budget is passed into law at the approprite time, the community will be the first place in the ministry’s agenda,” he added.
