By Abdullahi Lukman
The Sokoto State Government has defended its ongoing investments in the water sector, rejecting claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, that the administration has failed to address the state’s water crisis.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, the government said several major water projects were currently under procurement, rehabilitation or construction as part of efforts to improve water supply across Sokoto metropolis and other parts of the state.
The ministry clarified that the ₦25 billion allocated for the rehabilitation of the Sokoto Township Water Works and the ₦5 billion earmarked for solarisation in the 2026 Citizens Budget were appropriations for multi-year projects, rather than funds already spent.
It explained that the ₦64.09 million recorded as expenditure in the first quarter of 2026 covered early mobilisation and consultancy payments, while additional releases were being processed in subsequent quarters based on project milestones and available revenue.
According to the ministry, the solarisation of the Sokoto Water Works is among the administration’s major interventions. The contract, awarded in May 2026, provides for the installation of 10,000 solar panels with an expected generation capacity of 4.2 megawatts.
The government said the project is intended to reduce dependence on the national electricity grid and provide power for continuous operation of water pumps. Site clearing and procurement activities are currently underway.
The ministry also disclosed that 42 solar-powered boreholes had been provided across Sokoto metropolis, while six major water schemes—Tamaje, Old Airport, Gagi, Mana, Runjin Sambo and Ruga Liman—were at different stages of design, procurement and rehabilitation.
The six schemes have a combined projected capacity of 40 million gallons of water per day, with an estimated total cost of ₦14.1 billion. The ministry stressed that the figure represented the projected cost of the projects and not money already
expended.
It further said more than 120 kilometres of damaged and burst pipelines had been repaired across the metropolis within the past 18 months, alongside the installation of booster stations to improve water pressure in elevated areas.
While acknowledging that residents sometimes pay between ₦200 and ₦300 for a 25-litre container of water, the government said its interventions were aimed at addressing the underlying challenges in the water sector rather than relying solely on temporary measures.
The ministry maintained that potable water remained a priority of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration and urged stakeholders to support the protection of water infrastructure.
It also pledged to continue publishing budget performance reports and invited residents and other stakeholders to inspect project sites, while encouraging consumers to pay applicable water bills to support the sustainability of the water supply system.
