Mogadishu(SONNA)- The problem of access to clean potable water will be a thing of the past for thousands of local communities of El-Ma’aan village in Bal’ad District, HirShabelle State of Somalia, after the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) put up 5 wells under its Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).
Speaking during the handover of the 5 wells project handed over to the Bal’ad District administration, AMISOM Civil Affairs Officer and Coordinator of the AMISOM in Hirshabelle State, Christopher Aria said the project was aimed at addressing the water scarcity problem affecting the population. He also promised support on education sector and security.
The QIPs project majorly seeks to improve access to clean and safe water for approximately 5000 households in the district and its environs by drilling more boreholes in the area. Access to clean and safe water has been a perennial problem in the area.
“We have to support the people of Somalia especially in Bal’ad by drilling more boreholes because the existing ones are not enough. We are now planning to drill more water wells in Bal’ad and at the same time, rehabilitate schools in the area, under the same project,” Aria explained
Under the same project, AMISOM plans to rehabilitate Police Stations and Police Posts in a bid to improve the security in the region.
“We met with the District Police Commissioner and we have seen that there is no police station in Bal’ad. Our immediate programme is to help with the rehabilitation of the police station in Bal’ad. This is important because it will help reduce crime in the area,” Aria said.
He added, “There is a need for the police to have offices, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has to be working. We need offices for the Police Commander, his deputy and the staff. It is very important to have a police station in Bal’ad.”
Speaking at the same event, Kasim Ali Nur, the District Commissioner of Bal’ad, lauded AMISOM for the continued support but noted that the area faces numerous challenges, which he shared with AMISOM officials, at the brief meeting at the District Headquarters.
“We are grateful for AMISOM’s efforts of rehabilitating wells in Bal’ad and its environs. The needs we want to share with them include, lack of a functioning hospital, given that the nearest place where the people can seek medical service is in Mogadishu. I would like to request AMISOM to support us in rebuilding the main hospital in the district so as to improve access to health care services in the region,” Kasim explained.
“We also need schools where both the young and old in Bal’ad and its neighbouring villages can study. We need to create job opportunities and establish sports facilities like stadiums so as to deter the youth from joining extremist groups,” the District Commissioner noted.
