By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
Residents of Gwarimpa and Kado estates in Abuja, the nation’s capital, are in for another round of water scarcity as the shortfall of supply rolls over into the New Year, AljazirahNigeria checks has revealed.
Residents of the two estates are not new to water supply challenges. However, the current scarcity which started about a month ago is rearing its ugly head at a time when many expect
a way out of the situation.
It was gathered that residents have to stay awake with a view to fetching water as from 10:00 pm when the essential commodity flows sometimes up to 6:00am.
According to sources, there are instances when there is no flow of water for a whole day.
One resident of Gwarimpa estate, who simply identified himself as Danjuma, describes the situation as “terrible”, adding that occupants have to as a new routine “create time to get water at night.”
According to him, residents had hoped for a solution before the end of last year but the “challenge still persists.”
A cross section of residents, who also responded to questions from AljazirahNigeria corroborated the responses of the earlier respondent and expected an immediate solution by the FCT Water Board.
At Kado estate, a civil servant who gave her name as Janet Adekoya, said “the water scarcity is being experienced all over the our estate.”
She said that “waiting at night or early in the morning to get water” is a new routine that is not easy to cope with after a day’s busy schedule “but what can we do?,” the middle age woman asked rhetorically.
The issue of water scarcity in the two estates many fear may linger more than expected as the New Year unfolds.
Gwarimpa and Kado estates are highly preferred residential settlements for those who can afford the exorbitant cost of owning or renting a house there because of proximity to offices and businesses in the heart of Abuja as well as the serene environments.
Sadly, this plus for the areas is being punctuated by one of man’s most important need, water!
Availability of water ranks among the fundamentals put into consideration for the choice of Abuja as the new federal capital.
Since the creation of the FCT in 1976 many believe not much has been done by the federal government to harness water potential of the territory.
Hence, water scarcity remains a challenge that does not spare even highbrow Maitama and Asokoro Districts as well as satellite towns like Karu, Kubwa, Bwari among others.
Efforts by AljazirahNigeria to
get FCT Water Board
to provide answers to the ongoing water scarcity in Gwarimpa and Kado estates were not successful as calls and text message sent to the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of FCT Water Board, Umar Akko, were not successful.
A reliable source in the board who does not want his name mentioned in this report because he is not authorised to speak said that “the scarcity is as a result of maintenance, point out that “a lot of pipes are old and damaged and so they need to be changed.”
When asked how long the scarcity will last, he said “at least 30 days.”
It would be recalled that the FCT Water Board had previously blamed water scarcity in Abuja metropolis on climate change which reduced water level in Lower Usuma Dam.
The dam was once prided by authorities as large enough to meet water demands in the FCT as well as having potential to supply neighbouring states.
