Why We Increased Water Tariff – MD FCT Water Board
…water thieves risk jail
By: Wisdom Acka
The new General Manager, FCT Water Board, Engr. Tauheed Abayomi Amusan has explained that increment in water tariff has become imperative due to high cost of production, which he revealed was N200 per cubic meter.
It could be recalled that, the Board has recently jarked up price per cubic meter from N80 to N110 for domestic consumption and N300 for commercial consumers.
He stated that for the past 12 years, the Board has not carried out upward review of water tariff even though the cost of water production was well-above what customers were enjoying.
According to him, the over N700 billion worth of investments into water supply in the nation’s capital including infrastructure, equipment and chemicals, among other requirements for constant supply of quality water to FCT residents were usually imported hence their prices affected by the high cost of foreign exchange.
His words: “The truth is that the prices of things have gone up, and the cost of all the materials we use is equally affected. Cost of production is higher than what we charge customers.”
The MD, who gave this explanation in his first major interview with few journalists in his office in Area 3, Garki, Abuja on Thursday, appealed to customers to always pay their bills promptly to enable the Board continue to serve them better.
Engr. Amusan, who expressed gratitude to the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello for finding him worthy to serve as General Manager, said that such was a unique trust reposed in him, and from which much was expected.
He pledged to do his best to reposition the Board and run it like a business enterprise.
Commenting on the top quality of Abuja’s water, the GM stated that the water was certified by the World Health Organisation as one of the best in the World.
He explained that Abuja’s best quality water production and supply was due to the Board’s excellent laboratories and scientists who work day and night, monitoring raw water that goes into Lower Usuma Dam, through the treatment plant, and all the way to final consumers.
Decrying unwholesome encroachment into the Dam area, Amusan noted that, though such would not affect the quality of water supply to residents owing to the Board’s world class water treatment processes, disclosed that Mallam Bello has given directive for the survey and fencing of the Dam.
“Any crime against provision of the FCT Water Board Act will be tried in court and people will either go to jail or be fined getting water without paying or tapping from our main trunks”, he added.
Engr. Amusan warned that such illegality affects water supply to genuine customs.
The MD also disclosed that the Board has constituted a customer enumeration committee to carry out update of its customer register because the Board’s current customer enumeration was very poor.
“An updated customer register would enable timely service of bills to customers and it will shore up revenue generation by the Board,” he stressed.
