By Bisola Adeyemo
Kogi State capital Lokoja has been hit by shortage of water for over 4 weeks, which can cause a serious health hazard if urgent steps are not taken to lessen the situation.
Residents travel long distances in search of untreated water for both consumption and domestic use, following inability of the state water board to supply water to the general public
Water vendors are making brisk business
selling at a cut-throat price, while those that could not afford the exorbitant cost have resorted to the use of well water and in some places ponds from where animals equally drink.
The unfortunate situation has led to indiscriminate open defecation by people at any given space, which is occasioned by lack of water in the toilets. The places of convenience are all stinking and could cause , cholera, dysentery and other communicable diseases.
Some residents contacted for comments appealed to the state government to restore water immediately so as to save the people from hunger and diseases.
All efforts to reach the General Manager, Kogi State Water Board failed, but some officials in the department who do not want their names mentioned, said the problem of water scarcity is from the state government as they failed to provide money for chemicals that will be used for water treatment, daily times gathered
According to the officials, the revenue generated by the board is remitted to government in compliance with the TSA policy.