From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Aminu Iya, has said that the ongoing installation of solar power is aimed at improving water supply across the state.
To achieve this, the state government has earmarked over N6 billion to revamp the 40-year-old Sokoto Waterworks and ensure a steady water supply in Sokoto metropolis and its environs.
Iya disclosed this in Sokoto, noting that the renovation became necessary because the water supply facilities were non-functional when they were inherited from the immediate past administration in 2023.
“We inherited an almost dead waterworks, which has now been completely turned around for the better, courtesy of the tremendous and invaluable strides of our Governor,” he said, adding that the goal is to ensure that no resident of Sokoto city and its environs lacks adequate potable water 24 hours a day.
The Commissioner further explained that the administration has been executing numerous urban, rural, and semi-urban water schemes, noting that most of them have already been fully revived across the state.
Alhaji Iya said the administration has completed and fully energized 31 solar-powered boreholes across Sokoto metropolis and its environs.
He added that the measure is intended to ensure a 24-hour water supply and to complement the often erratic supply from the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO).
The General Manager of the Sokoto State Water Board, Engr. Aminu Haruna Mika’ilu, said Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto has embarked on the installation of a 4.2-megawatt solar power project to boost water supply.
According to him, all the equipment required for the project has been shipped to Nigeria and transported to Sokoto.
“This is to ensure a 24-hour power supply to the water intake, treatment, and distribution facilities,” he said.
The General Manager added that the equipment includes two large lithium batteries and inverters, while the control room has been completed.
Engr. Aminu Haruna Mika’ilu said the construction of pillars for the installation of no fewer than 10,000 solar panels is progressing smoothly.
He also disclosed that a proposal to rehabilitate and replace the decades-old water supply machines and other related accessories is receiving urgent attention from Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto.
The commissioner further stated that all existing boreholes have been fully revived, while others are being upgraded to solar power.
“Some have been commissioned, while several others are in the pipeline to be inaugurated,” he said.
