Jos community laments 15 years of water scarcity

The Anguwan Rogo community in Jos North local government area of Plateau State has lamented the lack of pipe borne water for over 15 years, accusing some staff of the Plateau State Water Board of conniving with private individuals to set up water vending points instead.

Alhaji Sani Bala, a community leader from Anguwan Rogo, said the community had expected the administration of Governor Simon Bako Lalong to consider their plight.

“Just recently, we found that a water vending point was set up for business close to Anguwan Rogo when for years we have had no water and if the vending points can have water then why can’t the community?” he asked.

Our correspondent who visited the vending point reports that the point was set up about three months ago. One of the vendors said water is supplied on alternate days and that the owner of the vending point had bought the pipes at N800 each from the Water Board but said the pipes now cost N1, 000 and urged any individual interested to do the same.

However, the acting General Manager of Plateau State Water Board, Lambert Gomzuk yesterday said he had not approved any water vending point around the area, and that he had ordered an investigation into the matter.

On the lack of water in Anguwan Rogo, he said, “It must be a localised challenge in a specific area of Anguwan rogo because we supply water to Anguwan Rogo on daily basis. We have some localised challenges in certain communities, not only Anguwan Rogo because some pipes are broken but I will ensure that I speak with the business manager to see how we can handle these issues.”