By Ismail Auwal
The Abubakar Widi Jalo Foundation has accused Mai Unguwa Nau, Kuwait Tagarji’s ward head, in Nassarawa Local Government of Kano State of turning a borehole project built for the community into a personal business venture.
In an interview with SAHELIAN TIMES, the Foundation’s Director, Abukakar Widi Jalo, said the borehole was built for the community 15 months ago with the objective of easing acute water shortage.
However, according to the Director, the ward head turned the community borehole into a personal business venture.
“I started getting calls and messages from community members complaining that the traditional leader had turned the project into a personal business.”
“I immediately requested that the Engineer in charge of the project visit to the community and inspect,” he explained.
The Engineer, who identified himself as Yahaya Abbas Sufi told our reporter that while visiting the community, he discovered the traditional ruler’s first child selling the borehole water to the residents.
” We had a serious disagreement and I then reported him to the district of Tagarji, who is his superior.
According to the Engineer, the ward head apologised profusely and promised not to repeat the act after his superior’s intervention.
However, residents who were knowledgeable about the district head’s intervention told SAHELIAN TIMES that the person immediately resumed collecting N50 per container from them.
The resident, who identified himself only as Abubakar, asserted, “I was among the first set of people to reach out to the community, and I can assure you he started collecting money only one month after the borehole was commissioned.”
The District Head of Dakata, Salisu Ibrahim, has confirmed to this reporter the story of his intervention.
“Yes, they approached me to settle the dispute when it became heated, and I did so.
“When the issue arises again, I have sat with the two parties and I am waiting to hear what their next steps will be,” he said.
When our reporter visited the accused, he confirmed commercializing one pump out of the five.
According to him, they previously agreed with Engineer Sufi to dedicate one pump for revenues, with the proceeds going toward borehole maintenance.
He also admitted that because the Foundation left a portion of the project unfinished, he had to complete it with his own money.
He also accused the Foundation’s representative of turning the people of the community against him.
In response to the claims made by the traditional leaders, the Foundation confirmed that it had agreed to commercialize one of the pumps.
It, however, denied leaving a portion of the project unfinished and setting people against him.
At the time of writing the report, the borehole was closed until repairs were completed and the dispute resolved.
