Wajir governor Ahmed Abdullahi’s efforts in water services recognized

Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Receiving the Water Ambassador award from the deputy President William Ruto at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) during Ministry of Water event. PHOTO: FEISAL ABDIRAHMAN/STANDARD

Governor Ahmed Abdullahi was feted this weekend at a gala night hosted by water and irrigation services Chief Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

Deputy President William Ruto graced the event and lauded Wajir governor for his efforts to ensure that his resident get clean water to their homes.

"I laud the efforts by the governor in improving the lives of his residents, because water is life," said Ruto.

Abdullahi was appointed as water ambassador for all the 47 counties for his efforts in improving water services in Wajir County.

The county government awarded the department of water over sh1 billion from the county budget in the last three years and that has seen an increase in the number of boreholes and other water sources.

"We have sunk 136 new boreholes, 60 water pans and dams, and have done water piping works in several settlements, including water infrastructure across the county," Abdullahi said.

Abdullahi said Wajir had no permanent rivers and lakes making it one of the most water resource poor countries but despite that, the local citizens and their livestock have been receiving water through water trucks during the dry seasons.

Abdullahi said before devolution 93 boreholes that had been drilled since independent and now have more than doubled the water sources and increased the capacity in three years.

"In this financial year we are planning to do another 19 boreholes and lay to ensure that the seven towns across the county get access to clean water for domestic, livestock consumption and also for irrigation purposes," said Abdullahi.

A world Bank report last year cited Wajir county as one of the counties that had made huge allocation of money to development including water provision to its 700, 000 residents.