Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, has endured a prolonged challenge with access to reliable public water supply. For many residents, the period popularly remembered as “Ibro Water” during the administration of former Governor Ibrahim Idris remains a reference point in discussions about public water supply in the state capital.
It is against this background that the Kogi Equity Alliance (KEA) welcomes and commends the latest intervention by Distinguished Senator Sunday Steve Karimi (DSSK), who has increased his earlier commitment from five to seven additional industrial solar-powered boreholes, bringing the total number of such facilities delivered or being implemented in Lokoja Local Government Area to 29.
The progression is particularly noteworthy: 22 boreholes were already delivered; five additional boreholes were publicly promised; and that commitment has now been increased to seven.
For KEA, this is more than a figure. Each borehole represents an effort to bring clean and accessible water closer to families and communities that have had to cope with the consequences of water shortages.
The Alliance believes that interventions of this nature should be acknowledged beyond partisan politics. Access to potable water is a basic necessity, and every credible effort that reduces the burden on residents deserves recognition and encouragement.
At the same time, KEA believes the development should open a broader and constructive conversation about Lokoja’s water crisis.
Lokoja is the state capital and deserves a sustainable, city-wide public water supply system. Constituency interventions such as the 29 solar-powered boreholes can provide important immediate relief, but they should complement, not replace, the long-term responsibility of restoring dependable public water infrastructure.
The Kogi Equity Alliance therefore calls on relevant authorities, elected representatives, traditional institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to build on interventions such as this and pursue a comprehensive solution to Lokoja’s longstanding water challenge.
For Senator Sunday Karimi, the progression speaks for itself:
22 delivered.
5 promised.
7 now being implemented.
29 in total.
For Lokoja, however, the bigger message is clear:
The people deserve water. Every genuine intervention that brings clean water closer to them should be supported, while the search for a permanent and sustainable solution must continue.
This is the constructive position of the Kogi Equity Alliance (KEA): recognise delivery, encourage responsible representation, support initiatives that benefit the people, and continue advocating for lasting solutions to the challenges confronting Kogi communities.
– Yusuf M.A.
For: Kogi Equity Alliance (KEA)
