Nigerian water expert, Engr. Michael Ale has begun the drilling of about one hundred water boreholes project across the country.
Ale, who is the National President of Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), had sometime last year promised to drill about 100 boreholes across the country in the name of Donald Trump if he wins the US presidential election.
Addressing journalists during the commissioning of some of the boreholes tagged, “Okun Inu; Eye Ode”, meaning: “Inner strength; Outer beauty” in Aiyegbaju, Ekiti State, his home town, Engr. Michael Ale stated that the water project was in collaboration with the Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP) to ensure easy access to potable water across communities in the country.
He noted that the 100 boreholes will include repairing of all abandoned and dilapidated ones in various communities across the country, adding that about six of them have been constructed so far.
According to Engr. Ale “As you can see the pictures of Donald Trump on all constructed boreholes in this community, this is part of my promise that if Trump wins the US presidential election, I will drill not fewer than 100 water boreholes across communities in Nigeria.
“They say Charity begins at home. Therefore, I’m starting from my hometown, Aiyegbaju in Ekiti State and to all other parts in the country. Members of AWDROP, which is under the umbrella of Drilling Practitioners in Nigeria, are also in support of the project to provide clean and safe drinking water for Nigerian populace”.
Asked if the projects were part of ground moves towards a political ambition, Engr. Ale established that “I’m a professional today and that does not mean I can’t dabble into politics tomorrow because we are all political animals.
“But what is important is that, water is life and it is evident that for you to develop well, you need water in your life. And in this community where I grew up, I have stayed there without access to safe drinking water before.
“I want to see if this can be a model for other communities to emulate. When you make a community grow and develop in terms of water, hospital and other things, you are making greater impacts on the lives of the people and unborn generation.”
Engr. Ale, who is a Geologist, therefore, called on governments at all levels to address the menace of quackery in water sector by patronizing professionals in boreholes drilling, noting that only 30 percent of the Nigerian populace have access to safe drinking water owing to the prevalence of engagement of the services of quacks by both government and many Nigerians.
He explained that the consequences of the foregoing are spread of water-borne diseases and threat to healthy lifestyle of many Nigerians.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
