When Wike’s name is mentioned, all attentions are focused on road infrastructure and opening up of the rural communities to development.
But quietly, the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has left no one in doubt that he has his imprint not only on roads but even in providing basic amenities to the residents of the territory.
One critical department that is also blazing the trail in provision of amenities in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the FCT Water Board.
With about 15,000 cubic meters per hour, and about 131 million cubic meters per annum, the FCT Water Board is one of the best potable water providers not only in Nigeria but in the sub region.
As a government utility organisation saddled with the responsibility of providing safe, adequate and affordable water supply service, the FCT Water Board has not failed in that aspect despite the challenges along its path of operations.
And with six departments and seven operational units and about 27 Area offices, the agency is bridging the whooping gap between demand and supply of the all important product, portable water in the fastest growing city in Africa.
And the man that is piloting this change with the consent and approval of the transformation Minister Wike, is Mr Daniel Salka Audu, the amiable and workaholic acting General Manager of the agency.
Because of the commitment of Wike not only to provide roads but to make available portable drinking water, some states are anxious to learn the magic behind the successes of FCT Water Board.
How has the agency been able to generate much revenue from its consumers despite the fact that many of its consumers are reluctant to pay their bills believing that it is a social service.
The recent appraisal by outsiders was the working visit by the Kano state Ministry of Water Resources and the state water board to FCT Water Board last week.
The Head of the Delegation and Kano State Commissioner of Water Resources, Umar Doguwa, led top government officials to learn how FCT Water Board has been living above board generating funds and how it has been providing uninterrupted portable water supply to Abuja residents.
The General Manager said the successes of FCT Water Board can be traced to the desire of the Minister to ensure quality provisions of amenities to residents of Abuja.
His words: “To achieve this goal without much hassle, the FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, is employing viable options towards the timely completion of the Greater Abuja Water Works Project, conceived for water reticulation to Phases II & III in addition to the satellite towns.”
He said the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is committed to ensuring effective water supply to every nook and cranny of the Territory.
Mr. Salka Audu told the visiting delegation that poor funding and metering system are some of the major challenges that could impinge effective treated water supply and therefore enjoined players in the sector to do more.
He advised that for an improved water supply, enhanced metering system, alternative and stable power supply, tariff adjustments should be adequately put in place.
Salka Audu called for improved consumer relations for enhanced payments and stiffer sanctions for defaulters.
The General Manager said the Board has recorded remarkable achievements overtime in revenue generation, due to improved metering, collaborations and technical cooperations with partners like the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Federal Ministries of Power and Water Resources.
He therefore advised players in the industry to engage in collaborations with relevant stakeholders for improved services.
Meanwhile, in the spirit of renewed Hope Agenda which the FCT minister, Myesom Wike is pursuing with vigour, Salka Audu has not relented in following the footsteps of his principal, the minister, in turning around the fortunes of Water Board into a formidable revenue generating agency of government.
As acting General Manager, Salka has changed the narrative and the revenue of the agency into the FCT internal revenue is increasing daily.
He reassured the visitors of his desire to succeed and to transform FCT Water Board from a mere service oriented agency to a business concern.
He told the visitors that in order to curb corruption and generate more revenue into government coffers, he has warned the staff to desist from collecting cash from customers with the claim to helping them to pay.
He vowed that any staff caught would be dealt with accordingly; this he said would stem tide of corruption among its 1,400 staff.
It will be recalled that the Abuja Water supply infrastructural development plan was designed to be implemented in phases, which unfortunately was not followed hence the hiccups in smooth flow of water to every crannies of the territory.
He said every responsible agency concerned with the delivery of water would certainly want to increase its supply to 100% because by so doing one would have been able to address several other socio-economic factors.
Salka further stated that water utilities all over the globe are faced with numerous challenges as it is expected of human endeavours which include: increase in population without corresponding increase investment in water supply infrastructure. Aging infrastructure, and high cost of maintenance among others.
Responding, the Head of the Delegation and Kano State Commissioner of Water Resources, Umar Doguwa, said that the visit was aimed at finding ways to improve water supply to people of Kano State, by addressing the common challenges in the Kano State Water supply chain including low revenue generation, water pollution and metering.
The Commissioner appealed for more collaborations with the FCT Water Board, particularly in the area of operational system and revenue generation.
He appreciated the warm reception accorded his team and promised to utilized the knowledge and information gained in Abuja to get the Kano state water board operating on high gear.
He said it was surprising that what the FCT Water board was earning in a day, the Kano state agency cannot boast of it in three months.
He said the major challenges the state was facing were metering and non payment of bills by consumers.
He promised to bring on board what the delegation has learnt from Abuja in transforming Kano Water Board into a viable agency.
He therefore urged other states Water Boards to come and learn from FCT Water Board to improve their service delivery.
Doguwa and his entourage were later taken round the facilities of the FCT Water Board both at the dam and the headquarters of the agency in Area 3 Garki.
Indeed Wike is working, FCT Water Board is setting the pace and Daniel Salka Audu is performing.
● Abdul, an Abuja based journalist, writes via abduljelil2001@gmail.com
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