25 Boreholes Drilled With N1.2bn, Not Renovated – Sokoto Govt

Sokoto State Government has reacted to a misconception about its provision of potable water to rural dwellers through the sinking of boreholes across the state.

Press secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, Abubakar Bawa, in a statement cleared the air stating that, “the state government, in collaboration with the World Bank, under the ACReSAL programme drilled 25 boreholes domiciled in Munki, Marnona, Dinawa, Lugu and Wurno, perimeter fencing as well as a 40-kilometer shelter belt, all at the cost of N1.2 billion.

“As against the insinuation that it was the renovation of the 25 boreholes that gulped N1.2 billion, the fact is that it is actually the drilling of 25 nos solar-powered boreholes and other projects that gulped the said amount and not the renovation.

“It is equally important to make it categorically clear that boreholes never existed in those areas before the coming of this administration.

“You can’t renovate a project that does not exist, so there was not a single borehole drilled in those areas before the advent of the present administration in Sokoto State.

“These communities never experienced what is called a borehole until now that Sokoto State has a listening and hardworking governor,” the statement reads.

He said that it is a well-known fact that the people of Wurno local government have been facing acute water scarcity for a very long time, which forced the residents of several communities to travel far distances to fetch water for their domestic needs.

He added that this scenario has contributed greatly to low pupil enrollments and retention in schools in Wurno local government because children have to be sent to fetch water to be used for domestic purposes.

He noted that against this background, the governor Ahmed Aliyu-led administration decided to rescue Wurno communities by drilling solar-powered boreholes in many areas in a collaborative effort with the World Bank.