By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Acute shortage of treated water in some parts of Minna, Niger state capital and environs have led to the death of a teenager simply identified as Elizabeth.
Late Elizabeth, about 17 years and her peers had gone to the dreaded Chanchaga river, which is the main source of supply to Niger State Water Board (NSWB) but as fate would have it, she never returned home.
Water scarcity in Minna metropolis and environs, according to findings have been compounded by the arrests of commercial water vendors popularly known as, 'mai-ruwa' for alleged exploitative tendencies and not been able to produce their National Identification Numbers (NIN) or cards.
Though it wasn't possible to confirm the arrests of the water vendors, majority of them are non-Nigerians from the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS).
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Correspondent learnt that the over 100 percent increase in the prize of a truck of water (ten jerricans) to N1, 800 from N700 must have forced the likes of Elizabeth's family to start visiting nearby rivers and stagnant waters as the last resort to meet their water needs.
Elizabeth, a resident of Korokpa, outskirts of Minna metropolis have paid the cost of state government's insensitivity to the plights of already impoverished masses strughling to survive the hard times.
The deceased and others, according to eyewitness headed down to the river to wash their clothes and to fetch water for domestic use when she mistakenly stepped on a slippery stone which gave way and she was washed away by the current under the watchful but helpless eyes of her siblings and other residents of the area who could not do anything to save her life.
The eyewitness who simply gave his name as Musa said, “This is one terrible experience I had in recent times as the elder sister of Lizzy, as she is fondly called ran to me to help rescue her drawing sister".
According to him, "For almost an hour we searched before the body was discovered by some youths down side of the river".
Meanwhile, residents have again pleaded with the Governor Umar Bago led administration to avoid further deaths by restoring normal water supply or to mandate water board to supply water to areas that are badly affected on a daily basis.
Rukaiya Garba, a house wife lamented that some water tanker drivers were already exploiting residents of Dutsen-Kura Gwari by asking them to contribute 35, 000 (thirty-five thousand Naira), but unfortunately they never get supplied.
"Government should help us by sending water tanker to supply us with water every day. This mai-ruwa are not sincere, some of them get water from abandoned wells and stagnant waters and sell N1, 800 per truck".
"How can they buy N200 from boreholes and sell N1, 800 to us, the cheating is too much", Rakiya said as she called on government to also check the activities of the commercial water vendors in the interest of the poor masses. NNL.
