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By Vivian Onyebukwa
National President of Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners, Michael Ale, has called on government to subsidise the cost of drilling borehole to the poor masses. He described water as life and recommended subsidy as part of what the government must do in providing water for Nigerians.
“It is not about the fact that we are having access, how much has this access being subsidised by government? In all sane climes, water supply is being subsidised just like petroleum. These sectors that have direct impact on livelihood are subsidised for people so that many people can be taken out of poverty line. If all these are not done, then we cannot say we have good access to water supply because many people are sourcing it themselves.”
Ale, a developmental expert and Chairman of Male Integrated Services, decried the quality of borehole services rendered by borehole drillers in the country which he said, is deteriorating because of lack of government’s concern about the activities in the sector.
Describing most of the practitioners as all comers, he said, “When you leave the activities of such a sensitive sector unchecked, then you are impending development, investment opportunity, environmental sustainability, social interaction, as well as economic opportunities”.
