FG begins Gombe water expansion project

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has flagged off rehabilitation, expansion and upgrade of existing Gombe Regional Water Supply Scheme for the provision of portable water.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and the Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Innuwa Yahaya, performed the flag-off ceremony at Tunfun Gombe metropolis, Gombe State at the weekend.

Adamu said the water scheme is co-founded by the Federal and the state government in accordance with the provision of the National Water Supply Scheme and Sanitation Policy. He stressed that the policy was approved by Federal Executive Council and ratified by National Council of States in 2000.

The minister disclosed that the Federal Government contributed about 30 per cent of the cost, while the Gombe state government provided 70 per cent of the fund and additional fund for consultancy services.

He urged the state government to give the project utmost priority towards realising the objective of providing sustainable water supply to the people of Gombe State

On his part, Yahaya said that the government has prioritised the provision of water supply in the state, noting that government is fully committed to completing the project as scheduled.

In his welcome address, Gombe State Commissioner of Water Resources, Mijinyawa Yahaya, said the rapid growth and increase in population, as well as influx of internally displaced persons into the state from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa due to insurgency led to the growing demand for water.