Laleye Dipo in Minna
The National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has taken over the rehabilitation of the Bida Water Works in Niger State, and will spend N200 million on the project.
As a result of the water works not operating up to its capacity for more than 10 years, the people of Bida and environs had battled with access to potable water and outbreak of water borne diseases over the years.
The Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, who led officials of the commission and those of the Niger State Water Board on an inspection of the project, assured them that the acute shortage of water in the town and neighbouring communities would be a thing of the past when the rehabilitation work, which has attained 60 percent, is completed, adding that “the cases of breakout of water borne diseases will also be reduced significantly.”
Yelwa expressed satisfaction with the job so far done, before directing the commission’s office in Bida to continue to supervise it not only to ensure the proper thing is done but to make sure the project is completed on schedule.
He said the execution of the job and others in N-HYPPADEC catchment areas across the country is made possible by “the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to the N-HYPPADEC communities in the country.”
Also, the Project Engineer, Mr. Amidu Muhammad, told the inspection team that the contract was initially awarded by the Niger State Government in 2017 at over N100 million but was abandoned before the intervention of N-HYPPADEC.
Muhammed said when completed, it would have the capacity to treat 10,000 cubic litres of water per hour and ease the suffering of about two million people.
The renovation works entails the upgrading of the 11 KVA line to 33 KVA, expansion of the treatment plant, and provision of more booster stations.
