By Joy Gadani
A member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Chikun constituency, North West Nigeria, Hon. Ayuba Ishaku Chawazah has called on local and international organizations to come to the aid of vulnerable Nigerians, especially those that have been displaced from their communities due to the insecurity.
Chawazah made the call at the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) and launch of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project being implemented by a Plateau State based Non-Governmental Organization, Society for the Transfer of Appropriate Sustainable Technology and Expertise (TASTE) Nigeria.
The Lawmaker said it was gratifying to note that the people of Ungwa Waziri who have been vulnerable as a result of lack of water, medical facility, clothing and schools can now smile and be more at ease.
Chawazah stated that after considering the suffering of the people, he thought it wise to seek immediate intervention for the community, hence the project.
“Water is a basic human necessity, hence the need to express my joy as TASTE hearkened to the clarion call to alleviate the plight of the people.
“It is one of my joyful moments, and that has been my burning desire looking at what has happened in the past”.
Also speaking to news men, TASTE Country Director, Nuhu Yakubu explains that before the organization comes to execute a project in a community, the NGO has to be contacted, and fortunately, somebody identified this community and made it known that it needed the WASH facility.
He said the project is targeted at providing a solar powered 25,000litre of water and toilet facility in Ungwa Waziri which has become home to resettled internally displaced persons from neighbouring communities in Kakau Ward.
Yakubu also disclosed that as part of the project’s sustainability plan, his organization usually begins such projects with the training of community based maintenance volunteers, who would be responsible for fixing minor damages like changing tap heads, mending broken pipes and cleaning the solar panels.
Appreciating the organizers of the project, Hon. Richard John, Councilor kakau ward, Chikun LGA of the State said he felt happy and lucky for having the project brought to his ward.
John stated that the people of Ungwa Waziri resettled from Kankomi and Nabarka communities due to banditry, “it has been very hard for them especially with water, they use to drink water from the streams”, he said.
Councilor further explained that water was not the only challenge they faced adding that facilities such as hospitals, primary health care, and schools are lacking in the community.
One of the participants, Samson Danjuma Barde appealed to the government to complement the gesture by bringing other social amenities like schools and primary health care to support the community to live a better life.
AFRICA PRIME NEWS reports that the project is implemented by the Society for the Transfer of Appropriate Sustainable Technology and Expertise (TASTE) Nigeria, with funding from Overseas Fellowship of Nigerian Christians (0FNC) UK, supported by Chawazah Saving Lives Foundation