The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu has inaugurated and handed over the 10 million litres per day (MLD) capacity Kazaure Water Supply Scheme to Jigawa state government for residents of Kazaure town and environs.
This is contained in a press release by Mrs Kenechukwu Offie, Director (Press and Public Relations Unit), Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja on Friday.
In his address at the occasion in Kazaure on Thursday, Adamu noted that the decision by the federal government to implement the water supply project was a direct response to the deplorable water situation in the area.
He added that the decision was in accordance with the policy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to improve the living standard of Nigerians without leaving anyone behind.
The Minister said that federal government’s direct involvement in the provision of water supply facilities was an intervention that was meant to accelerate access to potable water in Nigeria towards meeting national and international targets.
“Where such intervention water facilities has been completed, the usual practice is for them to be handed over to state governments, local governments or communities for operation and maintenance depending on the nature and size of the facilities,” Adamu said.
He reiterated that the provision of potable water and sanitation was the responsibility of the three tiers of government.
“The federal government, through the Ministry of Water Resources, provides policy framework, general coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
“The states and local governments are expected to provide potable water to citizens living in urban and rural areas respectively,” Adamu said.
The Minister therefore commended the governor of Jigawa state for matching his words with action on the signing of Memorandum of Understanding at the flagging off of the project on March 8, 2018.
Adamu praised the governor for further approving and ensuring the construction of the required 28.6 kilometres distribution network and fetching points to make the potable water processed from the scheme available to the people.
The Minister affirmed that the Kazaure Water Supply Scheme had been completed to the highest level of quality with a total design capacity of 10MLD to serve an estimated population of 500,000 people resident in Kazaure town and environs.
Adamu said the quality of the treated water from the scheme had been subjected to laboratory test and found to be acceptable within the national and international standard for potable water.
The Minister expressed optimism that the water facilities would be sustainably operated and maintained so as to provide long term service to the people.
Adamu thanked President Muhammadu and the Federal Executive Council for giving the required approvals and financial support for the implementation of the project.
In his speech, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa said his administration and the people of Kazaure would continue to support and cooperate with the administration of President Buhari.
Abubakar promised that the state government would double her effort to ensure that every citizen of Jigawa had access to potable water.
The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Ibrahim Giwa reiterated that the water supply scheme was meant to serve the people of Kazaure town and environs.
Giwa said the scheme would go a long way to boost their efforts, desire and determination to be the number one state in Nigeria to achieve State Wide Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
A very important highlight of the ceremony was the signing and exchanging of the handing/taking over documents.
This was performed by Mr Benson Ajisegiri, Director, Water Supply and PPP, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who represented the federal government, and Giwa who represented Jigawa state government.
