Darius Ishaku’s Working Tour To Kenya
On assumption of office on May 29, 2015, the
Executive Governor of Taraba State met an on-
going AfDB-financed urban water supply scheme
for Jalingo. He called for a ministerial briefing on
the project and immediately observed that 62-
kilometer coverage of the pipeline network was
grossly inadequate for the capital city.
He therefore instructed for the extension of the
network coverage by 150 kilometers. In the same
vein, the governor realized that the underground
water sources being exploited through boreholes
would not yield adequate water that could
service the number of water reservoirs
constructed under the AfDB project, so he
awarded another contract worth about N7 billion
naira for the development of a greater water
source that can serve the city for the next twenty
years, taking into consideration expected growth
in population. The contract which was awarded to
an Israeli company is presently on-going.
In order to achieve the paradigm shift required
by the AfDB from the present situation of
continued dependence on government funding of
water supply facilities which has been found not
to be sustainable, the Bank made it a condition
for both the Exective arm (led by the Excutive
Governor) and the Legislature ( led by the
Speaker of the House of Assembly) to undertake
a benchmarking exercise with an existing
successful water agency within the African
continent.
This benchmarking exercise is aimed at bringing
to light the need for the development of modern
management and operational structures,
strategies and technology that will make it
possible for the soon-to-be rejuvenated Jalingo
water scheme to be self-sustaining and
positioned for the provision of satisfactory
services to all shreds of the residents of Jalingo
city. It is in the light of this, and considering the
passionate commitment of the governor to the
provision of sustainable water supply to the
people of Taraba State, that he personally led the
team of government functionaries and some key
staff of the Taraba State Water Supply Agency to
the Nairobi Water Supply and Sewerage Company
Ltd for a 3-day benchmarking exercise.
The second team to be led by the Speaker of the
Taraba State House of Assembly left Nigeria on
Sunday, 27th November.
While in Kenya, Governor Ishaku paid a courtesy
call on the Governor of Nairobi County at his
office where he explained to him the purpose of
his visit. The County Governor who expressed his
delight over the idea of sister-African countries
sharing ideas and collaborating for better
services to our people, assured Governor Ishaku
of the full support of his government for the
success of the benchmarking exercise, and
charged the management of Nairobi Water
Company to give the Taraba State delegation all
the required support and co-operation. The
County Governor received Governor Ishaku’s
delegation alongside his deputy.
The benchmarking exercise took two formats,
made up of a two-day presentation and inter-
active sessions, and a day out to see some of the
major water supply facilities of the Nairobi
Water Supply and Sewerage Company Ltd.
Presentations included an overview of the state
of water supply services and operations in Taraba
State, made by the General Manager of the State
Water Agency, Eng. Musa Siam. A number of other
presentations were made by various officials of
the Nairobi Water Supply and Sewerage Company
Ltd, that covered essentially development and
management of their water sources, distribution,
billing, and deployment of modern technology for
effective and efficient operations for self-
sustainability and quality services.
The interactive sessions which were carried out
with the full participation of Governor Ishaku
was concluded on the second day of the
benchmarking exercise and served as an eye-
opener to His Excellency and his team, as the
success story of the Nairobi Water Company
showed clearly that sustainable water supply
through efficient provision of services and the
deployment of technology for effective billing
and collection is possible. The second phase of
the benchmarking exercise took the Taraba State
Governor to the Thika Dam which serves as the
main water supply source to the Nairobi Water
Supply and Sewerage Company Ltd.
In his usual characteristic of taking full
advantage of every opportunity that comes his
way for the good of the people of Taraba State,
Governor Darius Ishaku used his trip to the Thika
Dam to visit a coffee plantation farm where he
was taken round the plantation and exposed to
the simple primary processing of coffee. He had
to embark on this familiarization visit because
for a while, since turning around the Kakara Tea
Company on the Mambilla, his next ambition has
been that he would go into the promotion of
coffee production and processing on the
Mambilla Plateau of Taraba State. To the
expectation of all government officials in his
entourage, the governor’s visit to the private
coffee estate brought out so much excitement in
him that everyone on his entourage is in no
doubt about the fact that very soon Taraba State
will be singing the coffee tune.
There is no gainsaying that any one visiting Kenya
will most likely make effort to visit at least one of
the national parks in the country. Governor
Ishaku is no exception to this common
phenomenon. He therefore decided to spend a
night at Nakuru, the administrative
headquarters of Nakuru County. In this city, he
visited the Nakuru National Park with his
entourage. Before his visit to the park, he was
well received by the Governor of Nakuru County
who took him on a visit of the Government
Hospital in the city and a brief appearance at the
induction of fresh students into the Kenya
Medical Training College. His visit to Nakuru
actually turned out to be more of a working visit
than leisure as so many issues were discussed
with the governor of that County and
commitments made to the effect that further
discussions would be arranged for the
actualization of a closer working relationship
between Taraba State and the Nakuru County.
One big achievement of this benchmarking visit
of the Governor of Taraba State is his resolve that
the success story of the Nairobi Water Supply and
Sewerage Company Ltd must be replicated in
Taraba State. To this end, he has resolved that by
January 2017, young graduates will be engaged
and sent to Nairobi for on-the-job training,
preparatory to the commissioning and take-off of
the Jalingo urban water scheme.
–Usman is Chief of Staff, Government House
(Administration), Taraba State
Executive Governor of Taraba State met an on-
going AfDB-financed urban water supply scheme
for Jalingo. He called for a ministerial briefing on
the project and immediately observed that 62-
kilometer coverage of the pipeline network was
grossly inadequate for the capital city.
He therefore instructed for the extension of the
network coverage by 150 kilometers. In the same
vein, the governor realized that the underground
water sources being exploited through boreholes
would not yield adequate water that could
service the number of water reservoirs
constructed under the AfDB project, so he
awarded another contract worth about N7 billion
naira for the development of a greater water
source that can serve the city for the next twenty
years, taking into consideration expected growth
in population. The contract which was awarded to
an Israeli company is presently on-going.
In order to achieve the paradigm shift required
by the AfDB from the present situation of
continued dependence on government funding of
water supply facilities which has been found not
to be sustainable, the Bank made it a condition
for both the Exective arm (led by the Excutive
Governor) and the Legislature ( led by the
Speaker of the House of Assembly) to undertake
a benchmarking exercise with an existing
successful water agency within the African
continent.
This benchmarking exercise is aimed at bringing
to light the need for the development of modern
management and operational structures,
strategies and technology that will make it
possible for the soon-to-be rejuvenated Jalingo
water scheme to be self-sustaining and
positioned for the provision of satisfactory
services to all shreds of the residents of Jalingo
city. It is in the light of this, and considering the
passionate commitment of the governor to the
provision of sustainable water supply to the
people of Taraba State, that he personally led the
team of government functionaries and some key
staff of the Taraba State Water Supply Agency to
the Nairobi Water Supply and Sewerage Company
Ltd for a 3-day benchmarking exercise.
The second team to be led by the Speaker of the
Taraba State House of Assembly left Nigeria on
Sunday, 27th November.
While in Kenya, Governor Ishaku paid a courtesy
call on the Governor of Nairobi County at his
office where he explained to him the purpose of
his visit. The County Governor who expressed his
delight over the idea of sister-African countries
sharing ideas and collaborating for better
services to our people, assured Governor Ishaku
of the full support of his government for the
success of the benchmarking exercise, and
charged the management of Nairobi Water
Company to give the Taraba State delegation all
the required support and co-operation. The
County Governor received Governor Ishaku’s
delegation alongside his deputy.
The benchmarking exercise took two formats,
made up of a two-day presentation and inter-
active sessions, and a day out to see some of the
major water supply facilities of the Nairobi
Water Supply and Sewerage Company Ltd.
Presentations included an overview of the state
of water supply services and operations in Taraba
State, made by the General Manager of the State
Water Agency, Eng. Musa Siam. A number of other
presentations were made by various officials of
the Nairobi Water Supply and Sewerage Company
Ltd, that covered essentially development and
management of their water sources, distribution,
billing, and deployment of modern technology for
effective and efficient operations for self-
sustainability and quality services.
The interactive sessions which were carried out
with the full participation of Governor Ishaku
was concluded on the second day of the
benchmarking exercise and served as an eye-
opener to His Excellency and his team, as the
success story of the Nairobi Water Company
showed clearly that sustainable water supply
through efficient provision of services and the
deployment of technology for effective billing
and collection is possible. The second phase of
the benchmarking exercise took the Taraba State
Governor to the Thika Dam which serves as the
main water supply source to the Nairobi Water
Supply and Sewerage Company Ltd.
In his usual characteristic of taking full
advantage of every opportunity that comes his
way for the good of the people of Taraba State,
Governor Darius Ishaku used his trip to the Thika
Dam to visit a coffee plantation farm where he
was taken round the plantation and exposed to
the simple primary processing of coffee. He had
to embark on this familiarization visit because
for a while, since turning around the Kakara Tea
Company on the Mambilla, his next ambition has
been that he would go into the promotion of
coffee production and processing on the
Mambilla Plateau of Taraba State. To the
expectation of all government officials in his
entourage, the governor’s visit to the private
coffee estate brought out so much excitement in
him that everyone on his entourage is in no
doubt about the fact that very soon Taraba State
will be singing the coffee tune.
There is no gainsaying that any one visiting Kenya
will most likely make effort to visit at least one of
the national parks in the country. Governor
Ishaku is no exception to this common
phenomenon. He therefore decided to spend a
night at Nakuru, the administrative
headquarters of Nakuru County. In this city, he
visited the Nakuru National Park with his
entourage. Before his visit to the park, he was
well received by the Governor of Nakuru County
who took him on a visit of the Government
Hospital in the city and a brief appearance at the
induction of fresh students into the Kenya
Medical Training College. His visit to Nakuru
actually turned out to be more of a working visit
than leisure as so many issues were discussed
with the governor of that County and
commitments made to the effect that further
discussions would be arranged for the
actualization of a closer working relationship
between Taraba State and the Nakuru County.
One big achievement of this benchmarking visit
of the Governor of Taraba State is his resolve that
the success story of the Nairobi Water Supply and
Sewerage Company Ltd must be replicated in
Taraba State. To this end, he has resolved that by
January 2017, young graduates will be engaged
and sent to Nairobi for on-the-job training,
preparatory to the commissioning and take-off of
the Jalingo urban water scheme.
–Usman is Chief of Staff, Government House
(Administration), Taraba State
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