Information reaching the #FollowTheMoney (FTM) Team is that the European Union Cooperation is funding the rehabilitation and construction of water and sanitation facilities in Yobe State at an estimate of NGN 3 billion with the implementing agencies being the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, as well as the Yobe State Ministry of Water Resources. This is through its 10th European Development Fund Programme and under the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme Phase II.

The beneficiary communities include Dala in Bade LGA (see image). Such intervention is quite timely owing that several rural communities in the state including Dala have water and sanitation challenges.

We have initiated the #WaterDala Campaign advocating for the provision of water borehole to the community (population of 3000) while using the campaign as a point of contact in tracking the implementation of the rehabilitation and construction of water and sanitation facilities across concerned rural communities in Yobe State. We invite the public to get involved in the campaign today. Help us in this campaign so that the rural community members would have access to clean water. Join us through http://www.ifollowthemoney.org

 

Community delighted over Follow The Money Intervention

25 February 2018: The community is delighted with the intervention of Follow The Money team. This was made known during an interview with the crown prince and councillor, Hon Hamzat. In his words, “we appreciate what Follow The Money did in this community and urge Follow The Money to continue and expand its activities across Yobe state.”

Project Implementation Already Started 

25 February 2018: We made an outreach to Dala to follow up on the project implementation. We found out that the drilling has been concluded and project implementation was found to be at 50%.

Contractor Visits Project Site

4 December 2017: Information reaching us was that the contractor for the water project has visited the construction site for survey and made some measurements.

Delegate of State Ministry of Water Resources Claimed Rehabilitation Will Starts in October

Follow The Money Lead in Yobe State during the town hall meeting

 

29 September 17: During the town hall meeting at Dala community with respect to the campaign, the representative of Yobe State WSSSRP II Department, Mr. Gazali, who doubles as the delegate of the State Ministry of Water Resources revealed that the rehabilitation and construction of water projects in the community are billed to commence this month, October, since the evaluation of contracts were just concluded.

Find the report here.

Community Member Calls on the Government to Come to Their Rescue

3 August 2017: In a brief chat with a community member, she stated, “The issue of water is a big problem to us, if the pumps we are using gets spoiled we have no other alternative than to go to the river and fetch water”. She called on the government to come to their aid by providing clean water for them.

Community Head Claimed One of Their Water Sources Was Damaged While The Other Was Colored and Smelling 

Yobe State Chapter Lead Interviewing Dala Community Head

3 August 2017: The village head stated that they have only 2 sources of water in the entire community. One is a solar powered borehole which is damaged. The second one is a hand pump borehole whose water smells and is colored.

Village Head Express His Concerns Over the Delay in The Construction Of The Water Borehole

 

3 August 2017: During our community outreach to the community. We met the village head, Lawan Umaru who expressed sadness over the delay in the water borehole construction. In an interview with him, he stated, “Government officials visited our community about 6 months ago, and we showed them where the borehole should be sited. The borehole construction has not started since then and we are worried.”

Find the full report here.

Yobe State Commissioner for Water Resources Fail to Reply Our Freedom of Information

25 July 2017: FTM State Chapter Lead in Yobe, Muazu sent an FOI request to the State Commissioner of Water Resources to confirm the beneficiary communities; find out what was budgeted for water provision for each of them, the counterpart funding amount Yobe State is providing for the programme; and inquiring if the contract evaluation is concluded. Find the request here. The commissioner has not replied.

Ministry of Budget and National Planning Evaluating the Contracts

10 July 2017:  As at this time, the tender evaluation for the contracting of the water projects rehabilitation and construction by the Ministry was still ongoing said the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.