The Kano State Government has disclosed that the persistent water crisis in the state stems from the moribund and vandalized water works inherited from the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje (2015–2023). During an inspection tour of the affected facilities on May 6, 2025, Commissioner for Water Resources Hon. Haruna Doguwa revealed that key water infrastructure, including the historic First Kano Water Works built in 1930 and the Challawa Water Works established by former Governor Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in 2016, was fully operational until 2016 but was subsequently abandoned and looted under Ganduje’s tenure.
Doguwa detailed the extent of the damage, stating that approximately 12 km of water pipes supplying the Kano River to the water works were uprooted, while control rooms and raw water pumps were stolen. The vandalism has crippled facilities critical to the state’s water supply, with the First Kano Water Works, which had a capacity of 20 million liters per day, estimated to require $3.5 million for restoration. The Challawa Water Works, with two treatment plants, faces repair costs exceeding $10 million (approximately ₦160 billion) due to stolen specialized machinery that must be custom-ordered. The Intel 6 Water Works, also commissioned by Kwankwaso with a capacity of 350 million liters per day, was deliberately vandalized, with pumps worth ₦500 million each sold off, severely impacting 50% of the state’s water needs.
Kano State currently supplies only 300 million cubic meters of water daily against a demand of 700 million cubic meters, resulting in acute shortages in areas like Dorayi, Kabuga, Kofar Pompo, Rijiyar Zaki, Janguza, Bayero University Kano, and Goron Dutse. Garba Ahmed, Managing Director of the Kano State Water Board, attributed the crisis to the vandalism, noting that the First Kano Water Works had reliably served the state until 2016. The government is procuring replacement pumps and plans to expand the Wudil and Joda water works to boost supply to 500 million cubic meters per day, though a 200-million-cubic-meter shortfall will persist.
To address immediate concerns, Doguwa met with tanker drivers and water vendors, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to establish fixed prices for water tanks and jerrycans to prevent price gouging. The government’s efforts contrast with claims from Ganduje’s administration, which had initiated projects like the Tiga 10 MW Hydro Power Station to support water treatment plants but faced criticism for neglecting existing infrastructure. The current administration’s focus on restoring vandalized facilities aims to alleviate the water crisis and improve access for Kano residents
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