Dan’iya urges Sokoto govt to publish water projects account

Manir Muhammad Dan’iya wants the Sokoto State government to explain why residents are still buying water after billions of naira were earmarked for water projects.

The African Democratic Congress governorship candidate said the shortage affected Sokoto metropolis and other parts of the state more than three years into Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration. Residents, he said, continued to spend scarce household income on water for drinking, cooking and cleaning.

Dan’iya pointed to the state’s 2026 Citizens Budget, which set aside N25 billion for rehabilitating the Sokoto Township Water Works and another N5 billion to purchase and install solar-powered energy for State Water Board pumping stations. He contrasted those allocations with the first-quarter 2026 Budget Implementation Report, which recorded N64.09 million in spending, representing 2.1% of the Ministry of Water Resources’ original N3.106 billion budget.

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After the billions appropriated and the repeated announcements of projects, where is the water?

“After the billions appropriated and the repeated announcements of projects, where is the water?” Dan’iya asked. He also cited the government’s May 2026 announcement that it had awarded a contract to install 10,000 solar panels at Sokoto Water Works. The government said the project would generate 4.2 megawatts and help end the shortage in Sokoto and surrounding areas.

Dan’iya further referred to six water schemes at Tamaje, Old Airport, Gagi, Mana, Runjin Sambo and Ruga Liman. The government reportedly projected that they would produce a combined 40 million gallons daily at an estimated cost of N14.1 billion. He said the continued shortages raised questions about how the projects were being implemented and funded, including whether the planned electricity infrastructure was progressing. “A serious government should not allow a basic necessity like potable water to remain trapped in correspondence, approvals and bureaucratic processes while citizens are buying water every day,” he said.

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A serious government should not allow a basic necessity like potable water to remain trapped in correspondence, approvals and bureaucratic processes while citizens are buying water every day.