Sokoto govt replies ADC on ₦25bn water works, 4.2MW solar project

Sokoto State Government has defended its investments and ongoing interventions in the water sector, dismissing claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, over the state’s water supply situation.

The state Ministry of Water Resources, in a rejoinder signed by the Commissioner, said the government was implementing a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing both the immediate and long-term water needs of residents across Sokoto metropolis and other parts of the state.

The ministry said claims that the government had failed to tackle the water crisis did not reflect the scale of interventions currently being undertaken, stressing that several major water projects were either under procurement, rehabilitation, construction or at various stages of implementation.

According to the ministry, the ₦25 billion earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Sokoto Township Water Works and the ₦5 billion provision for solarisation contained in the 2026 Citizens Budget were budgetary appropriations for multi-year projects and should not be interpreted as funds already released and expended.

“Government acknowledges that the water sector requires massive investment.

However, budget appropriation is not the same as cash backing. Releases are made in phases based on project milestones, procurement processes and available revenue,” the ministry said.

It explained that the ₦64.09 million reported as expenditure in the first quarter of 2026 represented early-stage mobilisation and consultancy payments, adding that further releases were being processed in the second and third quarters in line with the implementation timelines of the projects.

The ministry particularly pointed to the solarisation of the Sokoto Water Works as one of the administration’s major interventions, saying the contract for the installation of 10,000 solar panels with a projected 4.2 megawatts generation capacity was awarded in May 2026.

“Site clearing and procurement are ongoing. The project is designed to reduce dependence on the national grid and provide the power required to operate the water pumps on a 24-hour basis,” it stated.

Beyond the central water works, the government said it had also provided 42 solar-powered boreholes across Sokoto metropolis, including projects at Tudun-Wada Gebe, Tudun-Wada Old Cemetery, Bazza Area, Dallatu Road, Lamido Adama Road, Kofar Atiku and Shagari Close, among other locations.

The ministry further disclosed that six major water schemes—Tamaje, Old Airport, Gagi, Mana, Runjin Sambo and Ruga Liman—were at different stages of design, procurement and rehabilitation, with a combined projected capacity of 40 million gallons of water per day.

It clarified that the ₦14.1 billion associated with the six schemes represented their total projected cost and was not money already spent by the government, insisting that implementation would proceed in phases as the projects advanced.

On emergency interventions, the ministry said more than 120 kilometres of burst and damaged pipelines had been repaired across Sokoto metropolis within the last 18 months, while new booster stations had also been installed to improve water pressure, particularly in elevated areas.

The government acknowledged the hardship faced by residents who, according to the ministry, sometimes pay between ₦200 and ₦300 for a 25-litre container of water, but argued that its strategy was designed to address the structural causes of the crisis rather than rely solely on temporary interventions.

“Government understands the hardship of buying water at ₦200 to ₦300 per 25 litres. That is precisely why we are investing in long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes,” the ministry said, adding that the solarisation and reticulation projects were intended to improve water availability even during the dry season.

The ministry maintained that access to potable water remained a priority of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration, insisting that the issue should not be reduced to political campaigns, while challenging Dan’iya and the ADC to support public sensitisation and protection of water infrastructure.

“Water is a fundamental right, not a campaign slogan. Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration will not politicize it,” the ministry declared, assuring residents that measurable improvements from the solarisation project and the six major water schemes would begin to emerge within the next 12 months.

The government also pledged continued publication of budget performance reports and invited stakeholders to visit project sites for verification, while urging residents to protect public water infrastructure and pay applicable water bills to support the sustainability of the system.