Water scarcity hits deputy governor’s office as workers contribute money to buy water.
The staff of Adamawa state deputy governor’s office, Martins Babale, are facing hard times, as they have to contribute money amongst themselves weekly to buy water for their use in the office.
Ever since the pumps dried up in June, a situation that commercial water vendors are now celebrating by supplying twelve water jerry cans, which costs each office about 500 Naira.
Some officials that spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity blamed Babale for not approving money for the repairs of the borehole.
“Repairmen have checked the borehole and gave us a bill of N155, 000 Naira, but for three months now, he has not approved the money,” he said.
The Guardian investigations revealed that Babale wants to drill a new borehole, but he suspected that the bill given to him was outrageous, far above the real cost.
The water scarcity has forced some staff to stay off their duty post, since they cannot make use of the toilets.
When The Guardian contacted the chief press secretary to Babale, Samuel Ganwaja, he declined to comment, saying that the permanent secretary of the deputy governor’s office who is in Saudi Arabia for hajj is the only person that can speak on it.