They say water is a gift of nature, but the residents of
Odi-Olowo local government are not enjoying the benefits of the free borehole
that was made available after the present chairman, Honurable Dadua Kako
created it years ago. They are appealing to him to come to their rescue, as they
claim the Aboki popularly known as “Meruwa,” are feeding heavily from them.
Some of the residents who made this known said that they don’t have any other choice than to call Mallam’s
who sell their water in truck to buy and when one buys a truck every day for a
month, that will amount to one having a water pump in the compound he or she
stays.
According to one of the residents, who pleaded Anonymity, he
said, “when it comes to water, we don’t enjoy those benefits.” The present chairman
did provide us a borehole, but we were many that use the public tap, and before
we can say jack, it was spoilt. It is not the first time such thing is
happening.” He said.
He also added that, “you see all these Mallams carrying
water in truck, they feed on us, and they buy a truck at the price of forty
naira, but will sell a whole truck for us at the rate of a hundred and twenty
naira”. Just imagine those that buy a truck every day.
He continued, “Although I have been seeing few public tap in
the area, but it is always slow, they have to push it up and down for water to
come out, and it depends on electricity”. He noted
Also another resident, who simply gave his name as Mr.Balogun
said that the case may not differs, as those residents who lives upstairs get
to pay higher amount of money, than those staying downstairs.
His words, “those that are living upstairs, the aboki’s
charge them the sum of two hundred naira, because they will climb the steps to
the apartment of their customer. If you calculate that at the end of the month,
it is what some people collect as salary. “I want to use this medium, to appeal to the
chairman, he should try to provide us boreholes, not just one, but few that
will go round the environment. He also added that most of the streets that are
affected are TAWOSE, IDERA, and AWOYUNKUN are mostly the street that has no
borehole. The one at TAWOSE is spoilt, while the one at AWOYUNKUN is provided
by a mosque.
One of the residents of the area, who gave her name as
Esther, said, the chairman is doing well in terms of education, because of the
free ride he provides for students of public schools, but the issue of water
still remain a major concern.
According to her “we need public boreholes in this area,
because all these Mallams has turn themselves into small god, where you will be
begging them to pour water for you. “ we don’t have enough commercial pump, the
few ones depend on PHCN, before they start to sell water. She said.
She further went on to explain, “We have a compound that has
a tap that functions, when there is light, but the owner late last year decided
to build a big gate, because of the children that are being sent to get water
from them.
“At times, you see children fighting one another, when you
ask them, they will tell you that he or she was the first to come and fetch
water. “The chairman should please help us out. She said.
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