The city of Lokoja in Kogi State is currently experiencing a severe shortage of water, leading to concerns among residents. The situation has persisted for over a week, raising fears of potential disease outbreaks in the area.
Residents have appealed to the state government to urgently address the water scarcity issue. The situation in Gadumo, a suburb of the state capital, has been particularly described as life-threatening by residents.
This recent water scarcity follows a similar occurrence in the area about two weeks ago. The General Manager of the Kogi State Water Board, Engr Mohammed Sagir, had previously attributed the scarcity to a drop in power supply, assuring that efforts were being made to resolve the problem. Although water supply was restored two days after this statement, it was short-lived.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Sagir regarding the current situation were unsuccessful. However, an anonymous reliable source mentioned financial constraints as a major contributing factor to the scarcity.
Residents also expressed concern about the state government’s recent freezing of government accounts, emphasizing the need for funding for essential government agencies that directly impact public welfare.
They have called on the government to reconsider the freezing of accounts and establish alternative funding arrangements for these critical agencies to ensure the well-being of the people.