Residents of Gital community in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi have urged the state government to provide potable water to address acute water scarcity in the area.

The district head, Gital Community, Umar Aliyu, made the call when a team of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) of the Women Development Initiative for Self-sustenance (WODASS) paid him a courtesy visit on Saturday.

He said the call was imperative to enhance access to potable water and stem the outbreak of water-borne diseases in the community.

“The only source of water in the community are four broken hand pumps, which might trigger an outbreak of diseases.

“The authorities concerned should take urgent rehabilitation of the four broken hand pumps to avert the spread of diseases in the area,” he said.

The community leader also urged the Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) to train their people to ensure the effective maintenance of hand pumps in the community.

Earlier, Sukumum Ezekiel, a WASH specialist, expressed satisfaction with the level of awareness created on the importance of hand washing at homes and school environments.

He said the Community Voices and Feedback Initiative funded by Wateraid was aimed at monitoring compliance with good hygiene practices to avert the outbreak of water-borne disease in the state.

Also, Hadiza Ibrahim, a member of the team, said effective awareness creation promoted good hygiene practices and reduced open defecation in rural communities in the state.

(NAN)