Mr. Abubakar Bappah, the Acting General Manager of Gombe State Water Board, says the recent release of N110 million by the Governor Inuwa Yahaya was to tackle water supply challenges in the state.
Bappah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday that the board had already commenced rectification of some of the challenges resulting in some communities now getting supply.
He stressed that the state governor would soon pay up the state’s 10 percent counterpart contribution for the World Bank 2.3 million dollars water project, to further boost water supply in the state.
According to him, the World Bank water project is expected to be completed in one year.
He explained that one million dollars would be committed to developing water works while the remaining 1.3 million dollars would be for supportive services.
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“Our intention is to concentrate much of the fund in the improvement of the Mallam Ina water works, this is because we intend to resuscitate Mallam Ina to serve as a back-up supply source to Dadin-Kowa.
“In the event that something happens to Dadin-Kowa, we will revert to Mallam Ina.
“It used to be the only water scheme that was providing water to Gombe before the construction of Dadin-Kowa water works.
“With this improvement, constant water supply will be achieved across the state with time.
“Water is part of the campaign promises of Gov. Inuwa and he has taken it as a matter of priority.
“Attempt to reticulate Gombe was made in 2011 and 2012. Since then, Gombe has undergone tremendous expansion, yet no reticulation works are done.
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“The one that started in 2011 was not taken into logical conclusion due to non-payment of funds to contractors by the immediate past administration.
“The present governor has shown a lot of interest and has released N110 million in that regard.
“Before he came on board, there was acute shortage of water in Gombe as residents stayed for years without getting a drop of water, but today the story is different and we intend to sustain it.
“Soon, there will also be some reticulation and repair works on pipelines in Gombe Township from upper zone to Wuro Juli, lower zone to Nayinawa and Liji to Doma, Bogo and Federal Lowcost Areas,’’ he said.
NAN reports that most of communities in Gombe such as Pantami, Nayinawa, Tudun-Wada and Jankai, that hitherto had no water, have started getting supply following recent intervention by the state government. (NAN)