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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
A University Lecturer, Prof. Ezekiel Gaya Best, has stressed the need for government to provide centralised means of providing and reticulating potable water supply to the populace.
He said that rampant digging of boreholes, especially in heavily populated areas may trigger earth movement that could cause earth tremors in such environment.
Speaking as guest lecturer at the 2024 World Water Day, in Jos, Best said that a greater water crisis lies ahead if the government fails to take into cognisance the expanding population of greater Jos
The World Water Day with the theme, ‘Water for Peace’ sponsored by the Society for the Transfer of Approximate Sustainable Technology and Expertise (TASTE) in collaboration with Society for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (NEWSAN), sponsored by Tearfund and supported by WorldServe took place at Eliel Event Center, Gold and Base in Jos.
According to him, ,”We are building up crises, it might not be now, when this places are fully developed, you will discovered that the water problem will manifest clearly. The new settlement that are coming up will certainly need water. It is when these places are fully developed that you will see a full blown water crises.”
Speaking on the fear that borehole drilling rather than solve water problem may create earth movement, Best said that, “This is very true judging from what took place recently in Abuja. We have some cases where they was what look like tremor under ground.
“Now what is borehole? It is like you are basically boreing a hole under ground that will create a vacuum where water will gathered and sunk out into a tank.
“Now look at a well lay out settlement, there is a borehole in this house, borehole in the next house and borehole everywhere. This is not by any design, but every owner of the house decided to have a borehole in his own house . The accumulation of all of these will! definitely have a long time effect.”
According to him, the best way out is to have water in a Central place and the reticulation network should be such that each house is connected to have regular supply of water in a sustainable manner. That is what is obtainable in advance countries.
A panel of discussants at the event noted that the Water Laws have huge Lacuna and the House need to sit to review the Law and inject the new developments in the Law.
They also frowned at the total lack of Legislative arm at the Local Government Councils in the 17 LGAs to make bye-laws for Water supply and improvement of services.
Earlier, in his goodwill message, the TIC Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, Hon. Samuel Dala Umaru, thank the organizers of the event, especially, TEARfund for its contribution to the provision of water in most parts of the state.
