Katsina to expend N20b on World Bank-funded water project

Katsina State Government is set to expend N20 billion on an extensive water infrastructure project under the World Bank-funded Nigeria Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (SURWASH) programme.

The state Commissioner of Water Resources, Dr Bashir Saulawa, who stated this while speaking with newsmen yesterday, said the state government has already invested ₦5 billion towards its implementation.

Saulawa, who spoke alongside other officials of the ministry, said the project would cover 10 local government areas of the state this year, with an intention to expand the coverage to additional councils by 2025.

Also speaking, Abubakar Abukur, the Executive Director of the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), said the agency is targeting 110 communities across eight councils for the project, including Charanchi, Batagarawa, Baure, Daura, Funtua, Malumfashi, Kafur, and Kankara.

Abukur said 40 solar-powered boreholes would be drilled in 40 communities, while another 50 communities would have hand pump boreholes.

On his part, Dr Tukur Tingilin, the Managing Director of the State Water Board, stated that a substantial portion of the funds would be committed to the general pipeline network in the major cities of Katsina, Daura, Dutsinma, and Malumfashi local government areas.

Tingilin said, “Twenty areas will be covered in Katsina, followed by 14 communities in Daura, nine each in Malumfashi and Funtua, while Dutsinma will have six areas covered by the water project.”

The Executive Director of the Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Ibrahim Dankaba, said the agency would build complete water schemes, including boreholes, 225 cubic metre water reservoirs, and public water stands across seven of the 10 targeted councils.

Imrana Nadabo, the Director of Waste Management and Pollution Control at the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), said his agency would construct toilets covering 10 healthcare facilities and primary schools in the council areas of Katsina, Daura, and Funtua.

Saulawa said the comprehensive water infrastructure project, coupled with the involvement of local communities in the management and maintenance of the facilities, aligns with the state government’s commitment to ensuring sustainable access to clean water and improved sanitation for its residents.