65 per cent of communities in FCT depend on stream for water

A baseline study by independent charity organisation, Oxfam, has revealed that 65 per cent of communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) depend on river and stream for their water.

This is coming as Oxfam in partnership with Unilever UK provided a solar-powered water facility to Gafera-Laminga community in Kuje Area Council, in their effort to improve water supply to the community.

The baseline study revealed that many communities in Kuje Area Council depend on seasonal streams and other unclean natural sources for water.

Oxfam Program Manager for Water, Sunday Iyong, at the official commissioning of the Solar Water Pump said that since 1951, when the community was established, they have not had improved access to water, adding that the borehole donated to the community by the Millennium Development Goal project has not been functional.

He disclosed that the community, alongside other disadvantaged communities in the council, were selected for 2010/2011 MDG projects for the construction of solar powered borehole, however, while some communities were lucky to have functioning boreholes, the one in Gafera was not working.

He said, “A giant tank was merely constructed in the community with dry taps that never worked.

Efforts to reach out to the contractor for information on the status of the project and why it is not working yielded no result.”