Water expert and co-founder of Global Initiative for Nigeria Development (GIND), Engineer Michael Ale, has urged the Bola Ahmed led administration to include borehole drillers in the list of people who would benefit from palliatives.
Speaking with newsmen in Ekiti on Wednesday, Ale, who is also the President of Association Of Waterwell Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), called for government’s urgent intervention to tackle the challenges of rising cost of borehole drilling in the country.
He warned that ordinary Nigerians may start drinking from dirty source of water if the government delays in deploying an immediate solution.
Alevwho decried the increasing cost of borehole drilling in the country, saying portable water would soon be out of reach of the common Nigerians should the ugly trend continues.
Ale, who congratulated the new Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsve, urged him to show administrative skills in managing the Ministry which he described as the life wire of livelihood.
The development expert who described the current free fall of Naira currency to the increasing high cost of drilling boreholes, said the development signals a bleak future for the masses.
Clarifying that borehole remains the most affordable and accessible clean underground water for Nigerians, he disclosed that clean surface water are no longer available to people in the country.
Ale opined that drinking unclean water poses serious health hazards to the ordinary Nigerians as they would be exposed to waterborne diseases.
Putting his position in proper perspective, the development expert said: “Water from boreholes comes straight from the ground making it 100% fresh and natural, unlike rain water, which is actually 60% recycled waste water. The government at this critical time need to provide solution to avoid imminent waterborne diseases and other incommunicable diseases among the Nigerian populace.
Ale proposed that drilling boreholes on a massive scale, has its economic benefits, adding that : “Borehole allows businesses to thrive as a lot of companies such as farms need water to grow plants and take care of livestock which make borehole installation a much more affordable option in the long run.
“Government at all levels should consider palliatives to Nigeria Drillers in terms of support to their business. As this much needed support at this critical time will augment the cost of drilling. And may prevent non-affordability of water for either consumption or all season farming,“ he counselled.
“Imagine the cost of drilling has risen from what it used to be to over 40% increase. This is really not good for the Nigerian masses who are struggling daily and are very low income earners. My fear for the people in the rural area is not even as much as those in the urban cities, “ he said.
Ale also advised on massive deployment of technocrats in managing government owned water corporations, saying: “Another important factor to consider is that almost 79% of government infrastructure ceases to function one month after commissioning. And one wonders why a privately owned water infrastructure would be working perfectly for years while those belonging to government would work for very few weeks and park up.
“We should put in place a system that is run by technocrats where it won’t be business as usual and where borehole contracts would not be awarded to non-professionals. We can no longer tolerate a system where Palliatives from government will go down the drain and in the pockets of the unqualified companies or individual consultants.
Proper monitoring will henceforth be adequately applied with the use of technology of our trace and track monitoring device,“ he assured.
