LG chair raises alarm as 20 wells collapse in Katsina community

Residents of the Rimi Local Government Area of Katsina State have raised an alarm over the frequent collapse of locally dug wells in one of its communities, with 20 having collapsed so far.

The LGA’s Chairman, Nu’uman Mohammed, made this known while speaking with newsmen on the matter at the weekend and called on the state government to assist in filling up the 15 that recently caved in.

Mohammed lamented that the community, known as Alaraini ward, had witnessed the frequent collapse of its wells, which had led to the death of one person.

He said five wells had initially collapsed, and the local government leadership had managed to fill them up, only for another 15 to cave in at different locations in the community.

He said locally dug wells were the major source of water supply for the people of the community but the frequent collapse of the wells has raised concerns and fears among residents.

He said the community’s soil is mostly sandy in texture, which may have been the reason why there are frequent cases of well collapses.

Mohammed also said erosion was affecting some communities in the council area and that the problem had forced residents of these areas to relocate to safer areas.

He said the erosion problem was quite severe during the rainy season, with homes and farmlands often washed away in the process.

He, however, said the council had been able to construct drainages in several of the affected communities, as doing so would keep flowing rainwater from destroying both homes and farmlands.

The chairman commended the Dikko Radda-led administration for its various interventions whenever the council requests it, even as he assured that more people-oriented projects would be carried out by his administration.