Residents of some communities in Osun are in dire need of water supplies. Despite the claim of the Adeleke-led administration that it has sunk boreholes across wards in the state, there is still a risk of a possible outbreak of waterborne diseases such as typhoid and dysentery, among others, as residents continue to rely on river, well, and stream waters as alternatives.
Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo, an investigative journalist who visited some communities, discovered that the majority of boreholes whose construction dated six years ago have packed up, contributing to the acute shortage of drinkable and good water supply in the state. In some communities, residents emptied storex tanks but were unable to pump water despite commissioning of these borehole projects, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered.
When this reporter visited the Iroye community in Ilesa, he sighted one of the non-functional boreholes that had been covered by weeds. The moribund borehole is located barely 100 meters from the popular cocoa store, which is on a tarred road leading to the popular Akewusola Chemist and Supermarket. The moribund borehole is situated in a strategic position where it could serve three streets, namely the lower part of Anaye, Iroye, and Odundun, if it were to function.
At the site of the borehole project, the reporter sighted an empty generator house, two empty storex tanks, an iron stand, and a short wall with five taps. Troubled by the pitiable state of the borehole, the reporter sighted a signpost that provided information about the project. According to the signpost, it was a jointly funded motorized borehole by the FGN, AfDB, State Government, LGA, and the host community.
Findings revealed that NOVIED, a construction company, was the contractor in charge of the failed borehole project in Iroye community, Ilesa, Osun State. When the reporter searched for NOVIED on the portal of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), it showed that the firm is located at 2nd Avenue, 23, Road S Close House, 21 Festac Town, and one, Edohen Victor N., has significant control over the firm. NOVIED is a private unlimited company with registration number RC 232026. The company was registered on October 18th, 1993.
Soji Akinmokun, a 42-year-old man, told WITHIN NIGERIA that he had to trek some distance to fetch water in another street because there’s no functioning borehole meant for public use in his community.
The father of three, while complaining about the struggles he experienced in the course of providing water for his family, told this reporter that he was so glad when they commissioned the borehole some years ago because he had concluded that there would be no hardship in getting good water.
I was disappointed after the borehole did not work the same day it was commissioned by community leaders and representatives of government. We noticed the problem after we had emptied the storage tanks, and every attempt to pump another tank of water did not work out. We have written to the Ministry of Water, particularly RUWESA, but there was no positive turnout, as Soji explained.
Another resident identified as Sunday told WITHIN NIGERIA that the area of the borehole is now a house for reptiles such as lizards and snakes due to the non-functioning state and neglect of the borehole project.
On Sunday, a 29-year-old man narrated how he narrowly escaped being bitten by a snake while trekking a narrow path beside the abandoned borehole project.
According to Sunday, people, especially residents of Iroye, felt a great sense of relief when the borehole project was commissioned because they had thought it would completely resolve their water problems but they were wrong.
The borehole never worked for a minute. It is currently a home for reptiles like snakes rather than a source of water for humans. To get water now, people have to walk to the other intersection. He said that although the borehole at the next intersection is not fully operational, it is still preferable to the abandoned one.
Another resident identified as Tawa also complained bitterly about the abandoned state of the borehole.
Tawa, while conversing with the reporter, disclosed that her husband would take kegs to the nearest borehole to fetch water for family use because there is no functioning borehole in our street.
Tawa, who disclosed that she and others use well water for washing clothes and plates, further stated that they cannot cook with it because they are running away from water-borne diseases such as typhoid and dysentery, among others.
Olawumi, a new resident, told WITHIN NIGERIA that she nearly went broke as a result of drugs she purchased after one of his sons got sick from drinking well water.
He was diagnosed with typhoid fever. I saw people fetching well water, but I did not know that they do not usually drink it. A bag of water is now N600. I cannot afford to buy bags of pure water as a single mother who has a lot of bills to pay. So we ended up drinking well water, and we suffered for it. I nearly excreted my intestines, as a mother of three narrated.
Sesan, a community leader, disclosed in an interview with WITHIN NIGERIA that they had gone to the Ministry of Water Resources and lodged complaints, but nobody showed up.
We do not know the exact problem with the borehole project. We don’t know if the pumping machine is faulty or if the hole has no water because it has never worked. We normally clear the bushes and even pick some youths in the community to see to the cleaning of the area, but they lost interest in the long run, Sesan added.