Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri has signed the Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene Services Law 2024, a measure aimed at addressing the state’s ongoing water scarcity.

The new law, signed on Thursday and announced by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, is designed to improve water regulation and sanitation services throughout the state.

It applies to key state agencies, including the Adamawa State Water Services Regulatory Commission and the Adamawa State Water Corporation.

This legislative action comes a week after former senator Ishaku Abbo, representing Adamawa Northern Zone, criticized the state government for prioritizing infrastructure projects like flyovers over essential resources such as water. “Flyovers are for car owners who are in the minority in the state. Flyovers are not bad, but water is more important for survival,” Abbo stated.

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The lack of accessible water in Adamawa has led to a sharp increase in prices, with residents in Yola, the state capital, paying up to N3000 for a truck of water. Some neighborhoods, like Bekaji, are experiencing such severe shortages that residents must book for water in advance, making it even more expensive than petrol in some areas.

Alongside the water law, Governor Fintiri signed several other bills, including the Adamawa State Health Supplies Management Agency Law 2024, which replaces the 1996 Essential Drugs Programme Edict, and the Teachers Service Commission Law 2024.

The latter dissolves the previous Adamawa State Teachers’ Service Commission. Additionally, updated laws were enacted for the Adamawa State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology in Ganye, as well as for the Adamawa State College of Nursing Sciences.

Governor Fintiri emphasised the importance of continued engagement to ensure the effective implementation of these new laws, hoping they will address pressing needs and foster sustainable development across Adamawa.

A tragic accident on Monday in Shuwarin town, Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, resulted in multiple casualties and significant loss.

The lone accident involved a DAF vehicle with registration number NGU 498 XA, driven by 34-year-old Mohd Hassan from Potiskum LGA, Yobe State. The vehicle, carrying around 100 donkeys and passengers, was traveling from Yobe State to Enugu State.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn. Jigawa State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Shiisu Lawan Adam, confirmed to Arewa PUNCH that two individuals—Innani Abubakar, a 45-year-old woman, and Kalifa Adamu, a 30-year-old man, both from Potiskum—lost their lives in the crash.

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The driver, Mohd Hassan, suffered severe injuries, including the loss of his left hand, and was taken to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in neighboring Kano State for medical treatment.

ASP Adam further reported that around 40 donkeys being transported in the vehicle died at the scene, which was particularly busy due to the local market day.

Sharing more details of the tragic event with Arewa PUNCH, ASP Adam explained that while the cause of the accident is still under investigation but preliminary evidence shows that speeding may have been a contributing factor.

As the investigation into the accident continues, the police have assured that measures will be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future.

However, the Jigawa Police Command has urged motorists to exercise caution and adhere to traffic regulations to prevent such tragedies.

Our correspondent who visited the community reports that the residents have been mourning the losses occasioned by the accident.

Also lamenting the incident, Faruk Garba, another eyewitness revealed that it was very painful that such an accident happened in the area, especially, on Monday which is the market day of the town.

A community head, Malam Auwal Danbaba said that the driver may have lost control as he approached the market’s junction area.

“I Just heard the loud sound from my back. I was in shock and grief as I witnessed what just happened and all could muster to say was innalillahi wa’inna’ilaihi raji’un, when I turned back to see what just happened after seeing the trailer turn upside down.”

Malam Danbaba also said that “the incident underscored the importance of road safety measures, such as education and awareness campaigns, strict law enforcement, and improved infrastructure in the area because this is not the first time such a similar incident happened in the area.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has distanced itself from a video clip showing someone pouring blackish liquid content,  purportedlypurchased from one of its retail outlets.

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., Olufemi Soneye, made the clarification in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

He was explicit that “That NNPC Retail Ltd. does not deal in adulterated products”, in the statement.

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“That we have carried out spot checks at all our outlets and found this claim to be false. The product was not, and could not have been bought from any NNPC Retail outlet as the company does not dispense petroleum products into bottles or jerrycans as displayed in the video,” he added.

The statement reads, “The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has been drawn to the video clip of someone pouring a dark liquid which he claims to be Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) purportedly bought from an NNPC Retail outlet at Keffi Flyover, and wishes to state as follows:

“That we have carried out spot checks at all our outlets and found this claim to be false. The product was not, and could not have been bought from any NNPC Retail outlet as the company does not dispense petroleum products into bottles or jerrycans as displayed in the video.

“That NNPC Retail Ltd. does not deal in adulterated products as it adheres to rigorous standards and quality control measures at every stage in its operations to ensure that only high-quality, safe, and reliable petroleum products are available at its stations nationwide.

“That members of the public should discountenance the spurious claims made in the video and be wary of selfish and unpatriotic elements pushing such narrative as they do not mean well for the country.

“That we take pride in maintaining accurate pump integrity with regular inspection and calibration to ensure consistency across our stations nationwide.”