Can Gov. Yusuf’s administration tackle Kano’s perennial water shortage 
By Ali Baba-Inuwa
On assumption of office as a popularity elected governor of Kano State on May 29, 2023 Gov. Abba Yusuf, promised to take immediate actions toward address the perennial water shortage in the state, especially at the Kano metropolis.
Yusuf, who declared a State of Emergency on the water problem, promised a solution within the shortest possible time.
The governor visited the 95-year-old Challawa Water Treatment Plant, where he gave the management of the State Water Board, a one-week ultimatum to submit its demands toward lasting solutions to the problem.
During the visit, the governor expressed disappointment over the deteriorating condition of the facilities at the treatment plant.
He promised that the State Government would fulfill its campaign promises to the people and urged the residents of state to provide maximum cooperation in resolving the water scarcity problem.
Earlier, the Director of Production at Challawa Water Treatment Plant, Malam Sakabu Lawal, provided insight into the challenges faced by the plant.
“Currently, only two out of the six water pumping machines are functional,” Lawal stated while briefing the governor.
Addressing the media, the governor expressed his administration’s commitment to resolving the water scarcity issue.
“We have declared a state of emergency to tackle the problem of water shortage across the state.
“It is imperative that we bring an end to this lingering issue and ensure our citizens have access to clean and adequate water supply,” he said.
However, almost two years after, the government has yet to address the problem squarely, resulting in untold hardships on the people.
Families spend long hours trying to fetch water, either from local wells, or streams, as the taps remain dry for most parts of the year.
The problem is mostly pronounced at the peak of the dry season, ie between May and June, when most local wells get dried due largely due to the absence of underground water.
Residents face enormous hardship trying to get water at this period, some are even forced to use pond and stagnant water for their cooking and other house chores at this period.
Speaking on the water supply problem, the Managing Director of the State Water Board, Alhaji Garba Bichi, blamed the problem on decayed infrastructure, promising to address the problem.
Bichi, said the government is working on plans to rectify the problems at the Challawa Water Treatment Plant to boost water supply in the state capital.
The facility which was the first water treatment plant in the state, was constructed in 1930 during the reign of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero, to supply water to Kano city.
He told newsmen during a facility tour of the plant at Challawa, near Kano that the facility which used to supply 20 million cubic litres of water per day to parts of Kano city including Dorayi,Kabuga,BUK,Janguza Army Barrack and Kofar Famfo,had been lying moribund for 8 years due to neglect by the previous administration in the state.
Due to the neglect he said, hoodlums had vandalized and looted the plants’ installations including pipes, raw water pumps and electrical starters.
He said that the development had caused a shortfall in water supply in many parts of the city.
Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources,Alhaji Haruna Doguwa, said it would cost the government 3.5 million dollars to reactivate the Challawa Water Treatment Plant.
Doguwa said the government had placed orders for equipment to be used for the reactivation of the water treatment plant.
The commissioner who also undertook a tour of the two Gwauron Dutse water tanks, condemned the looting of equipment at the facilities.
He said that such vital equipment as valves, pipes and ventilators, were vandalized and stolen by thieves at the tanks which were mounted on the top of the Gwauron Dutse Hill.
He said the situation has contributed to water supply challenges being faced in parts of the state capital, adding that efforts were being made to replace the stolen equipment.
Doguwa said that Kano metropolis needed 700 cubic liters of water daily but was receiving only 300 cubic liters.
“This facility here has been delapidated and most of the machinery were stolen under the immediate past administration. In fact, there were some individuals that claimed that the water works was sold to them.
“There is a 15 kilometers underground pipe that supplies water to the water works that they dug out and stole. We could not trace where the pipes are at the moment.
“Other items stolen from the Chalawa water works, include raw water pumps, electrical facilities, electrical starters of control rooms and underground pipes.
“This place was established in 1930 by the colonial government, and has been supplying water to Kano metropolis up to 2016 before it was vandalized under the immediate past administration” he said.
However, stakeholders believe that the government must begin to take immediate concrete actions toward tackling the water problem.
“I think the government has so far failed in its responsibility to provide potable drinking water for residents of the state.
“This administration was inagurated on May 29, 2023 and after about two years in office it’s still giving excuses on lack of water in the metropolis, I think it’s not good enough.
“The government must live up to the expectations of the people by addressing the root causes of the problem, ” a lecturer at the Federal University, Dutse, Malam Sanusi Rasheed said.
Malam Garba Hamisu, a retired worker, and a resident of Darmanawa, supported the claim.
Hamisu said the government must take concrete steps toward reviving the water supply in the metropolis, if it was serious about tackling the problem.
“I moved to Darmanawa from Gyagyadi in 1984, mainly because of the availability of water, there was always water running from the pipe for many years.
“But for some months now, the taps have gone dry, creating untold hardships on the people, we appeal to the government to come to our aid by fixing the problem,” Hamisu said.
He said that the problem was almost the same in all parts of the metropolis and urged the government to put in place mechanisms to address it.
With almost two years gone, it is hopeful that the administration will strive hard to deliver on its campaign promise by tackling the perennial water scarcity in the state, especially at the metropolis.
Ali Baba-Inuwa is a journalist, political analyst, a sociologist and an author.
Baba-Inuwa, a former Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Head of Politics Desk, with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) writes from Kano.
