From Our Correspondent
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, inaugurated 15 motorised boreholes in Benue State to address the perennial shortage of drinking water in the state.
Represented by the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Zaphaniah Jisalo, Tinubu hinted that National Lottery Trust Fund funded the project.
TheNewsZenith reports that projects is located at Wannue, Tarka Local Government Area of the state.
According to Tinubu, the Trust Fund constructed 19 motorised boreholes. He added that 15 of them are in Tarka and Gboko Local Government Areas of Benue.
The President commended management of the Trust Fund for delivering 19 motorised boreholes across the nation within the shortest time.
“These noble projects will bring access to clean portable water closer to the beneficiaries. They will also curb the spread of diseases and improve health of the benefiting communities.”
Tinubu said lottery has huge potential as a wealth generator and impacting the growth of the economy.
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“Therefore, the Federal Government will strengthen the lottery legislation.
“Over the years across jurisdictions, wealth generated from the lottery has been used to transform societies.
“This has happened through the provision of infrastructural and socio-economic development across the world.
“Given the potential of the lottery/gaming business, one can easily appreciate the enormous prospect it holds for Nigeria, of over 200 million people.”
Tinubu said his administration “is committed to putting policies meant to automate revenue collections in place.
“We will repeal the National Lottery Act (NLA), 2005 with the National Gaming Act, in order to accommodate the growing dynamism of lottery business in the country.
“This will help to steer the industry to international best practices for improved returns to good causes and interventions across the country,” he said.
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The President appealed to the benefiting communities to own the projects and protect the same for improved sanitation and hygiene.
Earlier, Executive Secretary of National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr Bello Maigari, said theTrust Funy had provided motorised boreholes in 15 selected communities in the state.
Maigari reaffirmed government’s commitment to continue the programme, until portable water reach every community in need of it.
“The World Bank estimates that 70 million Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water.
“Nigeria has abundant water resources, but poor water management practices and inadequate infrastructure.
“This knowledge has consolidated the agency’s initiative to provide basic infrastructure to strengthen access to clean portable water,” he said.
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