ABSF to KWSG: Don’t mix community devt initiatives with politics
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation (ABSF) has decried a statement reportedly credited to the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade, warning “residents against tampering with any state-owned water facilities”, while also stating that “anyone who tampers with the state-owned water facilities without prior approval by the designated authority will be dealt with according to law”
A statement by Dr. Audu Musa Idowu, Director, ABS Foundation, said: “While the Commissioner has not defined what constitutes ‘tampering with state water facilities’ and also failed to clarify if repair of moribund, disused, and non-functional boreholes based on requests from affected communities, also constitutes ‘tampering with the water facilities’.
ABS Foundation frowned at the statement, believing it was targeted at the recent initiative of the ABS Foundation “in which we just completed the training and equipping of 25 youths across the State with tools to enable them continuously and seamlessly repair boreholes and maintain water system across the State”.
Dr. Idowu said: “We believe the Kwara State Government made the statement to halt and frustrate the Foundation’s initiative to create Water Champions across various communities. The water champions have acquired skills and equipment during their sponsored training that they can deploy in helping various communities that face problems of water supply due to the poor maintenance of boreholes. The repair of boreholes by these water champions is therefore no false promise. It is a reality that the people have found extremely useful.
“The idea of training and equipping water champions to help in the repair, maintenance, and installation of boreholes came up after we received several written requests from various community development associations about the need to repair, rehabilitate, and replace boreholes serving the people’s water needs.
“The training of the water champions is therefore an initiative that is a direct response to the wishes of the people. It should also be noted that the people from the communities have been responding positively by sending letters of gratitude to the Foundation based on the positive interventions of the Water Champions in repairing boreholes in the communities.
“Again, we would like to put it on record that the successful training of the Water Champions is also serving the additional purpose of employing the beneficiaries. With the newly acquired skill and equipment, the Water Champions can now earn a legitimate income while providing quality service to the people. Thus, it is a surprise that instead of looking at the employment, health, and social service benefits of this initiative by the ABSF, the state government is plotting to sabotage it.
“The Foundation would like to put it on record that it is purely a philanthropic and community development-based organisation and has no link with politics, even though its Founder, is a politician. The Foundation has no link with politics and therefore takes objection to the part of the commissioner’s statement in which he insinuated that “some people, believed to be politically inclined and seeking to gain unnecessary political attention, are going round Ilorin Metropolis deceiving residents with false promises to repair faulty water facilities”.
“The Foundation would like to advise the government of Kwara State not to frustrate a clear community development initiative with dirty politics. The ABS Foundation does not want to be dragged into partisan politics. Rather, it has since its foundation been making solid contributions in various spheres of life towards improving the standard of living of the people. Its initiatives, like the ones embarked upon by other similar not-for-profit organisations, have been making positive impacts.
“Also, the ABS Foundation would like to make it clear that it will continue to serve the people, particularly those in the communities, and will not be deterred by any antic, intrigue, or mischief from an individual, organization, or corporate body. We therefore will continue to think out of the box and come out with initiatives that can help us serve the people and their communities better.”