Rising kidney disease: FEC approves N3.51bn for water projects in Yobe

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved N3.51bn for two water projects in Gashua, Yobe State.

The Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu, told reporters that the projects were urgently needed because of the observed surge in kidney disease among the residents of Gashua town and environs in the last few years.

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He said: “Council today approved a memo for the execution of two contracts for Gashua Water Supply Project (phase 2) in Yobe State, (Lot A) in the sum of N1.27bn and Lot B in the sum of N2.24bn. 

“Essentially, one lot is for extension of the water supply service to Zango and Sabon Garin Lamido, comprising of battery, boreholes, submersible pump, solar panels and so on and the other contract is for the upgrading of the existing waterworks, which also includes rehabilitation of some elevated tanks, provision of potable water treatment plants and a host of other ancillary facilities. 

“The contract is for a period of 18 months and essentially, this contract was awarded to address the acute water supply situation in Gashua, which is well within the Sahelian region and also because in recent years there has been some prevalence of kidney diseases and kidney failures and a quick intervention was required so that we’ll be able to address this situation. 

“In the interim, the National Water Resources Institute under my ministry is conducting an investigation as to why this high prevalence of kidney disease in the area. So, the council graciously approved these two contracts.”

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, said the council approved the award of a contract to the Agriculture Research Institute and agencies for the production and distribution of seeds and seedlings to farmers at the cost of N2.16bn.

He said the FEC also approved a contract for the purchase of 1,014 soil test kits and soil analytical laboratory equipment to National Institute of Soil Science at the cost of N278,858,163.