Federal government has expressed satisfaction over the remarkable progress made by the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) in the provision of rural water and sanitation in the country.
The minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, made the commendation during the official commissioning of 15 motorised boreholes undertaken by NLTF at Wunne town in Tarka LGA of Benue State.
Jisalo said that the federal government was absolutely impressed with the agency’s performance on delivering good outcome interventions despite the dwindling global economy and with meagre resources.
“It gives me great pleasure to be here today at this special occasion of the official commissioning and hand over of selected motorized boreholes in 15 communities in Benue State funded by the National Lottery Trust Fund.
“Permit me to use this medium to also extol the remarkable progress made by the National Lottery Trust Fund in the implementation of its approved lottery good cause intervention programme in water and sanitation and other sectors so far across the country,” Jisalo said.
He said the intervention would no doubt bring access to clean potable water to the beneficiaries, curb the spread of diseases, and improve the health of the benefiting communities.
In his remarks, the executive secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr Bello Maigari, said the agency has constructed a total of 15 motorised boreholes in 15 select communities across Benue State fully funded by the agency.
Maigari reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to continue the laudable programmes until every community in dire need of potable water supply across the six geo-political zones of the country is being provided.
The executive secretary noted that the agency was strategic towards the achievement of Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, adding that more community-based projects were in the pipeline in order to reach out to many Nigerians.
On behalf of the beneficiary communities in Tarka and Gboko local government areas of Benue State, Mr Moses Tarka, and Mrs Grace Igbudu, identified access to potable drinking water as their greatest challenge within the areas.
The duo pointed out that before the construction of the boreholes, they usually trek for about two to three kilometres daily in search of water.
“With the construction of these boreholes, our communities have now gotten relief to access to clean water,” they stated.
They commended the federal government for identifying with them in their period of need.