Zamfara Govt Plans N16bn Water Project For LGAs

The Zamfara State Government is collaborating with the Federal Government in the execution of a N16 billion project to facilitate the transfer of water from Bakalori Dam to Gusau water works, to find a lasting solution to the perennial water scarcity in the state capital. 

Alhaji Kabiru Marafa, the Commissioner for Water Resources, told newsmen in Gusau last Wednesday that the project would be jointly funded by the federal and state governments. 

He said that apart from providing sufficient water supply to Gusau, the state capital, and environs, six other local government areas, Maradun, Talata Mafara, Maru, Bakura, Anka and Tsafe would also benefit from the project. 

Marafa said the project was conceived by the state government in 2007, but suffered some delays due to bureaucracy. 

He said government had also purchased and installed 12 pumping machines at about N240 million as an interim measure to address the age-long water scarcity in Gusau.  

Marafa said six of the machines had been installed at Marafa, the new water works, adding that the other six were currently being installed at the old water works, to facilitate the supply of treated water for public use. 

“When the government came into office, the water works could only treat and pump between one and 1.5 million litres, but we are now able to supply about 5 million litres per day to Gusau and environs,” he added. 

He expressed optimism that when the new machines were installed, and the rehabilitation of the water works completed, residents of the state capital and its environs would enjoy uninterrupted supply of at least 10 million litres daily.