The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATN Foundation) has commissioned a 20,000-litre solar-powered borehole in Gidan Na-Ari Community, Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State, ending over 20 years of water scarcity.
According to the foundation, residents, particularly women and children, had for more than two decades travelled several kilometres to neighbouring communities to fetch potable water.
The new facility is equipped with five water dispensing points, a solar powered pumping system and a manual hand pump to ensure sustained access to water.
Speaking on the impact, the Village Head of Gidan Na-Ari, Abdulwahab Ya’u, said the intervention had eased a major burden on residents.
“Before now, we normally travelled several kilometres to fetch water from neighbouring communities. Our children and women suffered a lot before they could get water,” Ya’u said.
The General Manager of BATN Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, said access to clean water was critical to rural development.
“Access to clean and reliable water is much more than a basic infrastructure need. It is a foundation for healthier families, stronger livelihoods and more productive communities,” Odusanya said.
He noted that the availability of water would enable women and children to redirect time previously spent searching for water to productive activities, while improved hygiene and sanitation would help reduce water-borne diseases and support farming and small businesses.
The borehole was commissioned by the Jigawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources on behalf of Governor Umar Namadi.
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