By Bayo Alabira
Dutse
Water vendors are making brisk business as water shortage hits Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, causing untold hardship to so many households.
According to reports by our correspondent in Dutse revealed that the water shortage which started last week has affected communities of Yadi, Garu, Fatara, Mobile Based, Sabontakur as well as some part of GRA quarters respectively.
This has forced residents to patronise water vendors who sell the commodity at exorbitant price of N350 – 400 per cart instead of N200, among others.
Hafsat Adamawa, a resident of Dutse, said “we find it very difficult to get water to cook food for sale, we have to buy it from the water vendors and we are not sure of its safety.”
Another resident of Dutse, Ilyasu Yau, said “I don’t have the money to buy water from vendors, but I have to stop my children from going to school today until they fetch water for our use.”
Blueprint further observed that even the House of Assembly area and other government offices at the state secretariat complex were affected, thus crippling social activities such as purification and ablution.
In his reaction, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Garba Ibrahim Hannungiwa, said he was not aware of the acute water shortage in Dutse and environs.
“I just heard it from you journalists, but I will soon call the water board people to make inquiry on what has been the cause of this problem; I don’t know about it honestly, but will do something about it urgently,” he said.
