Covid-19: Taraba Water Corporation Increases Supply To Homes

BY AMEH IDUJAGI, JALINGO – The Taraba Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation (TAWASCO), has said that following the partial shutdown of activities in the state over the COVID-19 pandemic, it has marshalled out plans to increase frequency of water supply to homes in the state.

Managing Director of the corporation, Mr Musa Siam, announced this at a media chat organised by the Youth Progressive Association in Taraba (TYPA) a non-governmental organisation in Jalingo, said that the government has hired tankers to assist in supplying water across towns in the state in case of a total shutdown over the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him; “This was part of the decision taken recently during a stakeholders’ meeting on how to respond to a total shutdown should the virus get to the state.

“A technical committee has been put in place to address the concerns of stakeholders and I can assure you that this decision is already on the table because people will need more water when they are forced to stay at home.”

Siam lauded the assistance being rendered by USAID/E-WASH in the water sector of the State, saying a lot had been achieved in the water sector through the intervention of USAID.

While announcing that 29 sanitation facilities have been put in place so far to check open defecation, Siam called on the public to make good use of the toilet facilities and other infrastructure for a clean environment and a healthy society.

Also speaking, the Director of the Taraba Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA), Mr Julius Butu, said efforts are being put in place to ensure the environmental cleanliness of the state to mitigate the spread of airborne diseases.

He said; “The ministry of environment will unbundle waste management to ensure that private sector comes in to help in enlightening the people about waste management as government alone can not effectively manage waste given the increase growth in the population.”

Mr Boniface Koson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)) of  Youth Progressive Association in Taraba (TYPA), said the media chat was aimed at tracking progress being made by the State in terms of water supply and sanitation especially at the time the people were being advised to stay at home for fear of COVID-19. 

Representatives of the state ministry of Urban Development, women groups and Civil Society organisations all appealed to the people of the state to obey government directives on preventive measures against the pandemic.