Water scarcity has become a pressing issue in Zaria, Kaduna State, leading to hardships for its residents.
The water scarcity situation extends across various areas in Zaria, impacting communities like Kwarbai, Kaura, Bakin Kasuwa, Kusfa, Anguwar Karfe, Tudun Wada, Jushi, Tudun Jukun, and parts of Sabon Gari.
Residents told our correspondent that many taps have run dry for extended periods, with pipe-borne water supply from the city’s water board becoming irregular, sometimes only available for an hour every few weeks.
They said the situation has forced them, including women and children, to search for water from various sources across the city.
The Zaria water project, a collaborative effort involving the Federal Government, Kaduna State Government, Islamic Development Bank, and African Development Bank, aimed to address the water scarcity problem, is yet to have the needed impact.
Despite substantial investments, water shortage persists, impacting daily life severely.
Ibrahim Mu’awiyah, a resident, said women and children spend significant time searching for water, often up to late into the night.
“Our women and children have now gotten a full-time job of fetching water every day. They search for water for hours, visiting wells and boreholes far from their houses,” he said.
Amina Jafar, a mother of six, said she wakes up at 3am to fetch water from distant wells due to the scarcity in her area.
Musa Dogara said the academic activities of many children have been disrupted as they have to fetch water for their parents before going to school.
A popular cleric in the city, Sheikh Shuaibu Salisu, during Ramadan Tafsir, urged the Emir of Zazzau, Mallam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, to intervene, given his influence, to address the acute water scarcity in Zaria.
Efforts to reach the Zaria water board manager for comment were unsuccessful. However, a staff attributed the scarcity to power supply issues and inadequate provision of diesel to power the equipment.
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