Kogiflame
Despite the fact that the two major Rivers in Nigeria, River Niger and River Benue passed through Lokoja, the community is facing serious water scarcity which could lead to water borne diseases.
The situation in Lokoja is so partetic that children and women on daily basis as early as 5 am go out in search of water.
Worst hit communities in the state capital metropolis include, Kabawa, GRA, Aliheri, Kpata, Felele, Gadumo and Ganaja village where children wake up as early as 5 am in search of water for domestic use.
Recalled that the last time water was pumped from Greater Lokoja water works was February this year and in was just for a few hours before it went of.
The Commissioner for Water resources, Engr. Yahaya Faruk during a visit to the premises of Nigerian Union of Journalists sometimes February, he discosed that works had reached advance state and water should start flowing soon but the reverse has been the case!
However the situation at hand presently has made people to fetch the muddy water from River Niger which could lead to epidemic if the state government did not act fast.
Some residents who spoken to our correspondent said they wonder why the state government is not doing anything about the situation.
According to them the situation has been like that for over three months! “I wake my children up as early as 5 o’clock to go and fetch water for our domestic use and this has become our daily routine in last three months’
Also a restaurant operator, Madam Shade said,”I spend an average of 3 thousand everyday buying water from Mairuwa whose source I do not know and awe all know how risky this is!”.
A market woman, Hajia Rabi Alhassan said “if the situation does not improved within shortest possible time, we might be having epidemic of water borne diseases on our has as no one knows the source of the water sold to them by Mairuwa operating in the city”.
All effort to get the commissioner to speak on the development proved abortive as he could not be reach.
