Soldiers’ wives groan over scarcity of water in Barracks

Water is one of the world’s most valuable resources.
It is a basic necessity of life for both plants and animals.
Mankind cannot, in fact, survive without water as even the human body is made up of about 70 per cent water.
About 51 per cent of Nigeria’s 165 million population resides in rural or remote areas and only 47 per cent of this rural populace have access to improved water sources .
Of the 49 per cent that live in urban and semi-urban areas, only 72 per cent of them have access to improved water sources.
Water is essential to sustain life, and a satisfactory (adequate, safe
and accessible) supply must be available to all.
The availability of a reliable and clean supply of water is one of the
most important determinants of human health.
Water scarcity poses risks and stress for human society.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies improvement in access
to safe drinking-water as a contributing factor to tangible benefits
to health.
However, there have been reported cases of acute scarcity of potable
water at the 244 Battalion of the  Nigeria Army, located  Asabari
Barrack, Saki, in the Saki-West local government area of Oyo State.
The situation is causing untold hardships to wives and children of
soldiers serving in Borno state over the issue of Boko Haram, as well
as those on peace
keeping mission outside the country.
The soldiers’ wives and their children are desperately
searching for the commodity from doubtful sources, such as streams,
ponds and un-chlorinated deep wells.
More worrisome, is increasing number of producers of sachet water,
otherwise known as pure water, most of who are yet to be certified by
the National food, Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC).
They catch in on the situation, and are making brisk business.
Few days ago during the first rain of the year, scores of
these soldiers’ wives were seen scrambling for water which does not
last, but later resulted to searching for water elsewhere for their
domestic use.
Some of the soldiers’ wives in the barracks, who spoke on
their pitiable condition but doesn’t want names in print, put blames on some officials.
They called on the Army Authority to help them.