In a heartwarming display of community spirit, the Zuma Deck , Abuja chapter 1, of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as Pyrates Confraternity has gifted the Paze community in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council Abuja, with a brand-new borehole.
The donation marks a significant turning point for the community, which previously relied on a nearby stream for their water needs.
The stream, though convenient, posed serious health risks, and many residents suffered from waterborne illnesses as a result.
Our correspondent reports that with the new borehole, the community can now access clean, safe drinking water, improving their overall health and well-being.
The NAS members’ kindness has brought hope and relief to Paze, and their selfless act serves as a shining example of community service and compassion.”
Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, 27th July, 2024, Mr Viktor Ikiriko, a member of the Association said the Paze water project is one of such project that the Association decided to undertake to ensure that people at all levels feel the love of humanity.
He said, “Wherever we find ourselves, we ensure that we reach out to our communities, especially whenever help is needed and therefore, urged the leaders and members of the community not to sell the water but that it should be given out for free.
Speaking to journalists, some other members explained the rationale behind the decision to sink the borehole in the community.
They explained that , “Down the road, there is a flowing surface water that used to be their only source of domestic water and it is usually during the rains but during the dry season it drys up and stops to flow. The water is not healthy for human consumption. So we noticed that most of the ailments the community suffer from comes from the unhealthy water
” As a Confraternity we had a conversation and decided that there was a need to come to the community to meet the water gap hence the water project. We had the first one that failed and did not yield water. We went back, looked at the options available to us, and came back, and today we have this water functioning”.
” Equally,when we were trying to do this, we were told that there’s a privately owned borehole in the community and the owner sells to members of the community for a N100 per bucket. Now, as a human being, you ask yourself how many buckets of water do you use in a day? And knowing that these are local farmers, majorly. So, you are forced to ask where will they get money to afford that? If they use 10 buckets a day, that’s a N1,000. The people here, do they make a thousand naira a day? So now you understand the enormity of the challenge. So we decided that we must meet this gap. And today, that has been achieved.”
Also speaking, Area Mate 8, Mr. Onyebuchi Okudo, said access to clean water is a fundamental human rights.
He, however, urged members of the community to take ownership of the project and protect the facilities.
He said, “You have to own the project. Do not allow anyone to destroy the facility. We don’t have government funding. The Project cost over N5 million. The funds were contributions by members of the Association.”
In his reaction, chief of the community, Saidu Ibrahim assured that the water will not be sold, and the community members will protect the facility.
He thanked the members of the Association for the donations, while also calling on government to emulate the NAS in the provision of other social amenities to the community.
