By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
Water is life, and without water, healthy living is not attainable. But to the people of Pirkisu Community in Marama/Kidang ward of Hawul local government area, Borno State who has been dependent on water sources from ponds and streams with their dogs, goats, sheep, cows and other livestock for decades is secondary.
This is because, the people in the community have never thought of drinking potable water from boreholes, due to the rocky environment, visa -vis, and the nature of the community located on top of the mountain.
To this end, the placement of water supply as the basic necessity of life and the most secure channel of ensuring healthy living amongst urban and rural dwellers as well as the basis for a sound economic and social development of any city, community or rural settlement is incontrovertible, therefore, His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Hon. Umar Kadafur upon receiving the history of the lack of portable drinking water in the Pirkisu community acted quickly by releasing a substantial amount of money from his office to fix an uncompleted borehole in Pirkisu.
Recall that the people of the community predominantly farmers with about 99% Christian population and approximately having about 100 heads of household in June last year (2022), taxed themselves, where each household contributed a total of about N400,000 to contract a drilling firm. Unfortunately, drilling a standard borehole in such a rocky community would cost more than a million of naira.
It all started when the drilling firm agreed to offer their social responsibility, by drilling the borehole at a total cost of over N500,000.
Help came from Member House of Representatives for Hawul/Askira Uba federal constituency, Dr Haruna Mshelia and Member Borno State House of Assembly, Mr. Stephen Ayuba Wakawa and other individuals which led to the drilling of the borehole, alas, the drilling company could not fix installation of accessories needed to power the borehole, instead, the borehole was left uncompleted, until when it get to the ears of the Deputy Governor Kadafur who released fund to fix the borehole which is now supplying not only the community alone, as some herders also visits and gets water to themselves and their livestock.
For this intervention and perhaps more, Hon. Kadafur had become a discerning reference for where a workable, sustainable and pragmatic approach is being made to tackle perennial water scarcity and water-borne diseases from a realistic and multidimensional point of view as against what was obtainable by the people of Pirkisu in the past.
An over-excited Elders who are approaching the age of 100, Mallam Audu Ndahi, Bata Garba Hyelapila and a representative of youth leaders, Mr Usman Likita Ndahi among others gave historical experience in an interview with our Correspondent.
“PIRKISU village is an agrarian village situated south of Marama town in Hawul local government. Until recently, the village has never experienced government presence either in terms of water supply, road constructions or primary health care delivery.
“Our village has been in existence for so many decades without portable drinking water which made the community to be in a difficult water problem most especially during the dry season.
“Their main source of our water supply is mostly from ponds and shallow lakes which are situated about 4 to 5 kilometres away from the rocky village.
“Women and children suffer most in getting water for domestic purposes especially when they are tired of farm activities.
“The names of our source of water supply from the ponds are located in Thleda, Ramwa, Tiknaw, Zhangwa, Magalya and Gheidum. These locations are all in the far bushes and valleys with only animals in existence.
” Unfortunately, due to the effects of climate change, most of these ponds no longer provide water as in the olden days, thereby inflicting heavy suffering in the community.
“We Thank God for the present administration of Prof. Babagana Zulum and his able Deputy Governor Hon. Umar Usman kadafur for providing funds for the drilling and fixing of a solid borehole in the village that now supplies portable drinking water for our families and livestock.” Said some of the Elders in the community.
On his part, the Youth Leader, Mr Usman Likita Ndahi expressed gratitude to the Borno state government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum and his Deputy, Hon. Umar Kadafur for the gesture, which according to him, has placed the Pirkisu community as inclusiveness in dividends of democracy.
He also called upon the government not to relent in providing a primary health care centre for the community, as women suffer much during neo and postnatal treatment, as they usually trek for over 15 to 20 kilometres to Marama in order to get access to healthcare facilities, or mostly relied on Traditional Birth Attendance (TBA) despite its risks associated with it.
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