.From Muawuya bala Idris katsina.
The Katsina Community Development Programme (CDP) said it has received 534 request for inclusion into 2027 budget from communities demanding provision of portable water..
The State Coordinator Dr Kamaludeen revealed this at on going Pre budget defence organized by State Ministry of budget and Economic Planning.Kamaludeen said the request were forward by communities during the recently concluded Citizens Town Hall meeting across 361 wards organized by the government to generate inputs ahead of 2027 budget.He said the request cover construction and rehabilitation of dams and drilling of Solar Power boreholes He recalled that in 2025 his office received massive request from the communities for the provision of water, indicating the high demand of water supply by communities in the state.He however said government has provided fund to communities for rehabilitation of broken boreholes across 361 wards..Kamaluddeen urged ministry of water resources and it’s Parastatals to make adequate provision in the budget in response to the communities demand.Ealier, Executive Director Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency(STOWASS)lawal Dankaba said the agency need additional N8 billion to response to communities need on water supply.Dankaba admiitedd that many Semi Urban Water treatment are faulty and need repairs.He further said the agency need new drilling machine to carryout it’s mandate.Dankaba said the agency is planning to covert the Semi Urban treatment plant from conventional to Solar Power. ln his contribution , state Commissioner of budget and Economic planning Malik Anas adviced office of Community Development Programme to select priorities of the communities for inclusion in the budget, pointing out that government cannot cater all need of communities in view of other demannds “” we should sit at a level of a committee to select priority of each community for inclusion in 2027 budget., government cannot responded to all their demands at one time” he said.He also advised Parastatals under state ministry of water resources to give priority on repairs of existing boreholes and semi Urban treatment plant instead on insisting of construction new ones.
