Benue government is lamenting refusal by residents to pay water bills in spite of regular water supply. The General Manager of Benue State Water Board, Gideon Shenge, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Wednesday that all areas covered in the network of water pipes were receiving steady supply.
Shenge said the board had done everything possible to make residents change their attitude and pay their water bills but the situation was deteriorating the more.
He noted that residents’ refusal to pay water bills was happening in the face of provision of adequate water treatment chemicals, diesel, and payment of electricity bills for improved water supply by the state government.
He noted that as a result of the government’s determination, North Bank and Wurukum Areas of Makurdi that had not been getting water for upwards of 15 years now get uninterrupted water supply.
“This is a general problem and not limited to the water supply sector. Our people don’t like paying for public utilities. Though there is a minor improvement in payment. Many are people owing to the board.”
Shenge noted also that the board had no powers to regulate the price of water supplied by vendors in areas not yet covered by its network of water pipes
NAN reports that vendors now sell a truck of water to areas experiencing scarcity at between N400 and N500, up from N200.