Plateau Govt To Tear Down Structures On Water Bodies

Plateau State governor Caleb Mutfwang, has officially flagged off water production at the resuscitated Yelwa water treatment plant, describing the milestone as a major boost to potable water supply in the Jos metropolis and surrounding communities.

He also vowed to demolish structures encroaching on water bodies across the state to safeguard public health and ensure reliable access to clean water.

The governor, who presided over the commissioning event attended by a World Bank team , expressed profound gratitude to God for the achievement and highlighted its direct benefits to rural women who have long borne the hardship of fetching water from distant sources.

On what he noted as a special day coinciding with his birthday, Governor Mutfwang said “There is no better gift on my birthday than that I made some people happy.”

He saluted the resilience of rural women, who sustain families amid water challenges, adding that “investing in women is a worthwhile venture” and the administration would continue to prioritize such efforts.

While acknowledging that Plateau does not lack water resources, the governor stressed the critical need for proper treatment, transportation, and consistent maintenance to deliver clean water to households.

He appealed to staff of the Jos Water Services Corporation and others responsible for operations to treat their duties with utmost seriousness.

“Whenever we pump out dirty water, you have actually participated in killing life… Whenever we also fail by negligence to make sure the water is properly reticulated, we have taken away some lives,” he warned, urging strict responsibility to avoid health risks.

In a firm declaration against environmental threats, Governor Mutfwang condemned the rising encroachments on water bodies, dams, and reservoirs across the metropolis.

“The rate at which people are beginning to encroach into water bodies. If you have built around any water body that is supposed to be used for public consumption, I want to apologize to you in advance because we will take down some homes. We will take them down,” he stated emphatically.

He reiterated that the government would not prioritize the comfort of a few over public health: “We cannot sacrifice the comfort of the few people for the health of the general public, We are an independent government. We will take it down.”

The governor advised residents against acquiring or developing land near water infrastructure, warning of financial losses due to inevitable enforcement.

He congratulated contractors, the sewage team, Jos Water Services Corporation, and all partners for delivering the project, thanking God for bringing it to fruition.