BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The Nigerian Navy has commissioned a 50,000-litre solar-powered water supply scheme in Doro community, Bindawa Local Government Area of Katsina State, in a move aimed at easing water scarcity and improving access to clean water for residents.

The facility, inaugurated on Tuesday, was executed under the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Quick Impact Project and is expected to reduce the hardship associated with fetching water while improving sanitation and public health in the community and surrounding areas.

Commodore Chigari Isah, who represented the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, at the ceremony, said the intervention would help residents access potable water and reduce their reliance on potentially unsafe sources.

He explained that the project comprises an industrial borehole, a 50,000-litre storage tank, a solar-powered pumping system and a distribution network designed to deliver water to three strategic locations in Doro and neighbouring communities.

The project, undertaken in honour of Rear Admiral Yusuf Idris, Director of Logistics at the Defence Space Administration, also includes restroom facilities for patients and staff at the community healthcare centre.

Isah said the initiative reflected the Navy’s commitment to civil-military cooperation and community development, stressing that improving the living conditions of residents was an important part of promoting national security and stability.

He commended Idris for facilitating the intervention and appealed to residents to protect the facilities from vandalism and ensure proper maintenance so the project could continue serving the community.

Speaking earlier, Idris disclosed that the project was initially intended to involve renovating an Islamiyya school and rehabilitating an existing borehole.

However, consultations with community representatives revealed that access to clean water was a more urgent concern, prompting a change in the project's focus to address the immediate needs of residents.

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He said the completed scheme would ease the burden of water collection, support household activities and help reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.

Idris also announced plans for a medical outreach targeting residents of Doro and neighbouring communities, noting that access to clean water and healthcare were closely linked to the overall well-being of the population.

He urged community leaders to establish an effective management structure to oversee the borehole, solar equipment, storage tank and distribution network, warning that sustained maintenance would be essential to preserving the benefits of the investment.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Bindawa Local Government Area, Badaru Musa, thanked the Nigerian Navy and Idris for responding to one of the major challenges facing residents.

Musa said the intervention would improve access to safe water and demonstrate the importance of leadership that prioritises the needs of local communities.

He prayed for God's blessings on the Navy and all those who contributed to the successful completion of the project.

Also speaking, Umar Babani, District Head of Mani and Durbin Katsina, who represented the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir-Usman, praised the Navy for addressing the community's water needs.

Babani urged residents to take responsibility for protecting the facilities, stressing that their proper use and maintenance would help ensure that future generations continued to benefit from the project.