Residents of Riwaza community in Ashara ward of Kwali Area Council of the FCT have deplored their over a century old suffering from the absence of potable water, saying they have been surviving on pond water since the village was established over 120 years ago.

Some of the villagers, who spoke when Abuja Metro visited the community on Saturday, said lack of pipe-borne water had been the major challenge facing them.

They said despite the large population of the community, they have never been provided a single borehole by the government.

A youth leader in the community, Gimba Danladi, who led our reporter to the pond site, said the youth mobilised in their numbers to dig the pond to help the villagers get water for their daily needs.

He said women wake up early to go to the pond to scoop water coming seeping from the ground.

He said apart from the pond, women also trek a far distance to River Gurara to fetch water for their domestic use.

“Water from Gurara River is not hygienic but we have no option than to manage it, despite its health hazards,” he said.

He said the community had made several appeals to the authorities of the area council, but nothing has been done.

Danladi recalled how some children were affected by diarrhoea-related illness over a year ago, which he attributed to the unhygienic source of the water that they drink.

“I think it was about a year ago, when some children were stooling and at the same time vomiting. We had to rush them to a health centre in neighbouring Fogbe village, where they were treated,” he said.

The village chief of Riwaza, Mohammed Bature, also expressed concern over the water situation in the community.

He said since the community was founded over 120 years ago, there has never been any borehole provided by the government, adding that the people have been depending on water from either the pond or River Gurara.

He said several requests were presented in writing to the authorities of the area council about the problem, but nothing has been done.

“It is quite unfortunate that the entire community cannot boast of a single borehole even if it is a hand dug one. Apart from the pond and River Gurara, we don’t have any other access to water here in Riwaza community,” the monarch said.

The village chief added that the community has a polling unit where voters, including those from neighbouring Takuro, Tatari, Kutu and Gbengbe usually come to cast their votes in every election, yet the community cannot boast of a single borehole.

“You can go round the entire village, and you will not see a borehole. The only borehole here in this community is the one that was sunk for the primary school and it has not been functioning for years,” he added.

The chief lamented that, “The only time politicians remember this village is during electioneering campaigns, when they will come and promise to give us a borehole but nothing will be done thereafter.”

Bature also spoke of the absence of a road to link the community with Fogbe village.

The councillor representing Ashara ward of the council could not be reached on the phone as at the time of filing this story.

The chairman of the council, Danladi Chiya, did not respond to calls put across to him nor did he reply to a text message sent to him on the community’s request.