Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Monday inaugurated a N339.6 million solar powered water scheme in Wamba Local Government Area as part of efforts to to provide potable water in rural communities.
Al-Makura at the inauguration ceremony said the project was designed to provide 100,000 gallons of potable water to the people daily.
The governor said that the project was a pilot scheme that would be replicated in other local government areas of the state because of its cost effectiveness.
He noted that his administration had prioritised water supply in line with its policy on rural development in a bid to to tackle acute water shortage in the state.
“It is instructive to note that Wamba specifically has had its share of scarcity of potable water which has continued to inflict untold hardship on the people.
“It is also pertinent to state that previous attempts have been made by the successive administrations in the state to undertake water supply scheme in Wamba.
“However, such efforts could not see the light of the day for obvious reasons.
“When this administration came on board, we appraised the situation as it concerns water supply and other infrastructural deficit.
“In our strategic resolve to address the water problem in Wamba, government conceived the idea of constructing a water project that will use solar energy to power the engines.
“The reason for this initiative is to move away from the conventional water schemes that use electricity power supply with attendant setbacks occasioned by power outage and bad maintenance culture.” the governor said.
Al-Makura said government had embarked on the rehabilitation of Mada Waterworks at Akwanga which on completion would supply about 10 million gallons of water per day.
Other schemes being rehabilitated are the Nasarawa Regional Waterworks with an average supply capacity of three million gallons of water per day, Daddere Water Scheme as well as Nassarawa Eggon Water Scheme which was commissioned few years ago.