Citizens of some communities, especially at the rural areas in Plateau State, are not happy that they are sharing the use of some basic social amenities, especially water, electricity and good roads with animals.
Although, a part of the state, especially the northern zone, has been developed, the southern part, especially Langtang South and some other neighbouring local government councils are still grappling and are praying fervently that such essential amenities, especially pipe-borne water, be extended to them quickly.
In communities like Turaki, Doruwa, Mile 4, Kerkashi and some others, villagers and domestic animals all drink water from one source. In such communities, the dry season offers the residents a challenge to trek long distances in search of potable water for the family. In a typical case, they go as far as 20 kilometres and all they succeed in getting is brown water already visited by grazing animals which drink and defecate there.
A resident of Turaki village named Dube said his wife at times would travel to negbouring Sabo Gida village, which is quite many kilometres away to fetch water for the family’s domestic use. He appealed to the state governor, Jonah Jang, to help rehabilitate the Sabo Gida Turaki Road which has become a death trap.
Another resident of Kankum in Langtang South named Nangwang called on the state governor to visit the communities and appreciate the hardship the people are going through. He stressed that women do spend hours each day trekking across rough and hilly terrains in search of water from distant and unsafe sources such as rivers contaminated with animal waste.
Friday Magazine also gathered that women do embark on such strenuous trips in search of water on foot while some use their bicycles. Recently, the Gagdi community in Kanam Local Government Area celebrated the provision of a solar-powered borehole donated to them by the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, office. The beneficiaries danced to show their joy and expressed the hope that the facility would help check the outbreak of waterborne diseases among others. Spokesman of the Gagdi youth movement Mr Nuhu Sanusi, however, expressed delight that the people shall be free from water borne diseases at last.