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The administration of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf has grown the revenue collected from the supply of portable water to consumers in the state, from less than N50 million on inception of office, to N150 million monthly.
The administration said it has suspended the involvement of private companies in the management of water treatment plants across the state, based on previous negative experience it had with some private companies, engaged in the past.
Umar Haruna Doguwa, state commissioner for water resource, stated this Tuesday, while, speaking with Journalists on the ongoing activity of the state government to boost the supply of portable drinking water within and outside residential settlements in Kano metropolis.
He disclosed that the currently since assuming office, had placed emphasis on the provision of adequate and healthy water supply to all parts of the state, as a way of ensuring the living standard of the citizens.
Doguwa attributed the hitches associated to water supply, particularly, in the Urban settlements to the massive neglect in term of investment on the part of the previous administrations that presided over governance of the state.
“I wish to bring to the attention of you members of the press, the remarkable improvement in the commitment of the administration of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf to the delivery of portable drinking water to the people of the state.
“It is interesting to note that before the advent of this administration, the Water Sector in the state has suffered massive neglect in area of investment, particular, in the last eight years of the immediate past administration in the state.
“The implication of this systemic neglect of the sector in term of funding is what people has been experiencing in term of water shortages and scarcity due to prolonged vandalization of the water infrastructures in all the water treatment plants across the state.
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“Since I took over this office, as commissioner, we have been able to grow government investment in the purchase of new Electric Generators. In this regard we have placed order for 10 new Generators which runs into several billions of Naria.
“The ongoing installation of these Generators, was resulted into the supply of power to the Water Treatment Plants that have been experiencing power outages over time, a development that is boosting supply of water in the state”, he explained.
On whether to leverage on Lagos new method of involving private companies in the water management in the state, Doguwa said that the administration is not ready to embark on the measure for now.
“I can tell you with all sincerity that this administration is not ready to engage any private company for this role for now, based on the two previous experiences we had in the past. When this administration came newly two companies were engaged to handle the Wudil Treatment Plant, as well as the Joda Water Treatment Plant.
“Our experience with the two companies was not a good one, as we notice that they refused to leave up the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Understanding that we signed with them, and we have resolved not to do that again until we are able to stabilise the sector.
“We observed when we engaged them that a place like Gaya town was thrown into water scarcity for almost two years because the company that was handling the supply of water to the area from Wudil, refused to invest as low as N30, 000 to repair of a broken-down facility.
“We have since resolved not to go into any other contract with any company unless that company have all the might and resource to work with us”, Doguwa further explained.
