Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has launched a far-reaching water intervention initiative aimed at restoring potable water access across the metropolis after the devastating flood of 2024.
The flood not only displaced residents but also crippled essential infrastructure, especially the water supply system fed by the Alau Dam, severely affecting the flow of clean water into Maiduguri city centre and nearby communities like Gwange, Mafoni, Lamisula, Wulari, and Ngarannam.
Determined to alleviate the resulting water crisis, Gov. Zulum approved a strategic and multi-pronged approach to water supply restoration, including the rehabilitation, upgrading, and drilling of boreholes across Maiduguri and its environs.
Under this emergency plan, the state government is converting 48 aging lower aquifer boreholes to hybrid energy systems and constructing 50 new upper aquifer boreholes.
These interventions are not just stop-gap measures, they are engineered to provide sustainable access to potable water for thousands of residents who have faced severe hardship since the disaster.
During a recent inspection tour, the General Manager of the Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Dr. Mohammed Aliyu, provided updates on the progress of these projects.
“Over 25 of the 50 approved upper aquifer boreholes have already been drilled, with several of them fully outfitted and functional,” Dr. Aliyu stated.
He also noted that many of the lower aquifer boreholes undergoing upgrades were initially constructed more than four decades ago and had become inefficient.
These boreholes are now being revitalized with modern, 50-horsepower solar-powered systems capable of pumping water over a five-kilometre radius.
A key example is the Kasuwan Gwoza borehole, where a complete solar conversion has ensured uninterrupted water supply to the area, previously left dry after the floods.
Among the most heavily impacted areas is Mafoni, where the state government has drilled 10 boreholes.
Dr. Aliyu recalled the governor’s swift action: “His Excellency personally visited Mafoni shortly after the flood and pledged a rapid response. In less than a month, 10 boreholes were operational, supplying water through multiple distribution points.”
This targeted intervention in Mafoni is part of a broader water project that has seen the drilling of 25 new boreholes across various communities in Maiduguri, restoring a critical lifeline to countless residents.
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The response from residents has been overwhelmingly positive.
Communities such as Gwange 1 (Mai Jir), Kasuwan Gwoza, Mafoni, Bulabulin Ngarannam, Federal Low Cost, and Shuwari 1, 2, and 3 have hailed the intervention as life-changing.
A resident from Mafoni shared their gratitude: “We cannot thank Governor Zulum enough. Before this, we would spend long hours each morning just to fetch water.
“It disrupted our daily lives, from our work to our children’s schooling. Now, with these new boreholes, water is no longer a burden but a blessing.”
As the water projects continue, Dr. Aliyu assured that the administration remains committed to completely addressing the water scarcity issue in Maiduguri.
“By the grace of Almighty Allah, we are on course to reduce the water crisis to the barest minimum,” he affirmed.
Gov. Zulum’s intervention, marked by speed, scale, and sustainability, according to him, not only restores a basic necessity to the people of Maiduguri, but also reaffirms his administration’s dedication to responsive governance in times of crisis.
