A key figure in the ‘Kwankwasiyya’ movement in Niger State, Dr. Abdulhameed Umar Danladi, has called on the Governor Mohammed Umar Bago-led administration to take immediate action to address the severe water shortage affecting Minna, the state capital, and surrounding areas.
Danladi emphasized that the government should prioritize the well-being of its citizens, particularly in times of hardship, and focus on policies that alleviate, rather than exacerbate, their suffering.
He pointed to the ongoing road construction in Minna, which has disrupted water supply channels, as a major factor contributing to the current water crisis in the region.
The former Commissioner for Information also urged the governor to implement emergency water supply mechanisms to meet the needs of the population, many of whom are struggling with the lack of water and are being exploited by water vendors. He argued that the government should make provisions for temporary solutions, such as distributing water to affected areas, until the completion of the construction projects.
Danladi highlighted the growing economic pressures on the people, stressing that the government’s primary responsibility is to care for the welfare of its citizens. He called on the governor to be more responsive to the people’s needs, noting that governments at all levels are public servants who should focus on the well-being of the population rather than their own political or party interests.
In addition to the water shortage issue, Danladi raised concerns about proposed policies regulating land and housing. He warned that such policies could lead to conflicts between landlords and tenants, with higher rents being imposed, even on substandard housing. He questioned the government’s approach, suggesting that it should address the pressing need for affordable housing before implementing such regulations.
Abdulhameed who served under the Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu led administration argued, “You are constructing roads, yes that is good, but it has distorted channels of water supply and there is no water anywhere. I expected that government should improvise by distributing water to the people pending the time the construction will be completed”.
“I heard that they are coming up with policies that will regulate land and housing. This is igniting crisis between landlords and poor unprotected tenants, and I have always asked them, how many people have this government provided houses for before coming up with the policy?
Everybody knows that with the law in place, landlords will immediately increase house rents even if such houses are no longer fit for human habitations, tenants will be forced to pay more than whatever amount the state government is demanding from landlords as tax, he said.
