The integrated water schemes comprised of
boreholes, solar power systems, treatment facilities and fetching points
provide water for domestic consumption and irrigation purposes.
They were constructed under the framework
of the “Access to Water” initiative implemented by FAO and Eni, in
collaboration with Eni’s partner, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
This public-private partnership leverages
the skills and know-how of the public and private sectors to improve access to
water for the communities affected by the humanitarian crisis in the North
East.
The FAO country representative in Nigeria
and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero,
while stressing on the importance of the eleven facilities as they were handed
over to the authorities of Borno and Yobe States said: “the solar boreholes and
FAO’s larger investment in irrigation and water management is a signal of our
commitment to support the government of Nigeria achieve its development goals.
In the northeast, the availability of safe drinking water and water for
agriculture is central to growth and livelihood recovery.”
Eni’s head of Sustainable Development,
Alberto Piatti, said: “the handover of the
water schemes is a cornerstone in the collaboration with FAO in the region that
is contributing to improve the life of the communities. With the completion of
the project, thousands of people will have access to clean water, which is a
concrete step to enhance the overall living conditions of the inhabitants,
providing them a safe source also for other uses, such as agriculture, to boost
concrete social development”.
The water wells, powered with photovoltaic
systems, were completed between 2018 and 2020 in various communities located in
selected Local Government Areas of Borno (Chibok, Biu, Damboa, Gwoza LGAs) and
Yobe (Machina, Fune, Gujba, Geidam, Bade, Potiskum and Fika LGAs).
The official commissioning and handover of
the water schemes could not be held until now due to the volatile situation of
the area. Since 2018, Eni and FAO have implemented a total of 22 water well
projects under the framework of this Access to Water initiative: 5 in Abuja
Federal Capital Territory and 17 in North-East Nigeria, notably in Borno,
Adamawa and Yobe states.
Overall, the initiative has contributed to
improve sanitation and restore the livelihoods of about 67,000 people,
including internally displaced people and their host communities.
The first water well, providing water for
the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host community in Waru, Federal
Capital Territory (FCT), was commissioned in November 2018, and the remaining 4
water schemes in FCT were commissioned in November 2019.
One of the five water schemes located in
Borno State (Bama LGA) was commissioned in June 2019, while five located in
Adamawa State were commissioned in October 2021.
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