Stop The Falsehood; Zaria Water Project Initially Conceived By Makarfi And Not Namadi -Former Kaduna Finance Commissioner

-Dr. John Ayuba reacts to the Namadi Sambo and Elrufai's political bromance behind the zaria water project as "falsehood"


Former commissioner of finance and later water resources in Kaduna state reacts the recent political credits, praise and recognition exchanged by former governor and vice president Namadi Sambo and Governor Nasir Elrufai as fiction.

According to the former finance commissioner, "how could the Zaria water project have been completed without the Galma dam being constructed by the Federal Ministry of Water resources? As a former Commissioner of Water Resources I know that the Galma Dam is the main source of water supply! If it is the Water treatment plant that has been completed, I will not be surprised because when I left in September 2013, the treatment plant was already 85% completed. I know that further work was done on it in the last two years that Ramalan Yero was governor."


"Further, It will also be nice to know if the pipe network to cover the remaining 5 LGs ( apart from Zaria and Sabon Gari LGs) has been awarded!!! So when we talk of the project having been completed, I am not too sure it is as conceived by Namadi. I am sure the government is talking of Zaria town and its immediate environs like Sabon Gari and parts of Samaru whose contracts were awarded when I was Commissioner of Finance and Chairman of the Tenders Board under the Yakowa administration."


"There is need to put the records straight to avoid appropriating or discounting other people's efforts. The narrative that the project was abandoned after Namadi left to be VP is not only mischievous but blantant falsehood.


"As Commissioner of Finance under Yakowa, I along with other relevant commissioners defended and got the approval of the National Assembly the proposal for the loans from ADB and the Islamic Dev Bank which financed the project. Makarfi was then Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and he chaired the joint committee of the Senate and House of Reps committees that approved it. Indeed his role is getting the approval of the National Assembly can not be underestimated ! The records are there for anyone to access.


"Let the truth be told, the initial project was conceived by Makarfi and it was to cover only Zaria and Sabon Gari LGs. Namadi's Company was one of the Contractors but when he became Governor, he discontinued the job to avoid conflict of interest and that is how the job got awarded to the present contractor. As Governor, Namadi now expanded the scope of the project to cover the additional 5 contiguous LGs making it a Regional water scheme.


"It will be good to distinguish the completion of the project as initially conceived by Makarfi and the completion of the expanded scheme as conceived by Namadi! 


"I suspect the one the present government has been hyping is the earlier not the latter! For the the latter to be achieved, the Galma Dam has to be completed by the Fed Govt and the distribution network in the additional 5 LGs has to also be completed.


"I am sure the people of Giwa, Kudan, Makarfi and two more LGs are not happy when they hear that the project has been completed and they can't see water.." Dr. Ayuba Added.