In my previous report, I highlighted the water crisis at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), focusing on the daily struggles faced by students due to lack of access to water.
However, it’s not only students who are impacted by this crisis. A group of individuals—shuttle drivers, wheelbarrow pushers, and tanker operators—also have their own stories to tell.
The issue of water scarcity at UNN has gone beyond students battling for water. Behind the scenes are the water vendors: the people who supply water daily using shuttles, wheelbarrows (known locally as Nkụrùmmiri), and tankers, striving to make ends meet while facing their own set of challenges.
During a recent visit to some of the popular water-fetching points within and outside the campus, I spoke with and interviewed several vendors who shared their side of the story.
Shuttle Drivers Turned Water Vendors
Chukwudi, a young man in his early 30s, is a shuttle driver whose usual route is a popular area known as “Behind Flat.” During water scarcity, he delivers water around the hostels, particularly Nkrumah Hostel.
“I carry at least 20 jerry cans of water each day,” he said. “Sometimes, the boreholes are dry, or the lines are too long. I spend hours just trying to get water to sell.”
He explained that he buys a gallon of water for N100 and sells it to students for N300.
“It looks like we’re making too much, but before, we charged N200 per gallon. Fetching this water is always very challenging. I decided to increase the price because when you consider the cost of fuel, the time, and the stress, it’s not easy. Sometimes, I go as far as town to fetch the water,” he added.
Another shuttle driver, who wished to remain anonymous, shared a similar experience:
“I used to carry students every day. But during water scarcity, I switch to conveying water to the hostels. That’s why I joined the water hustle,” he said.
“I can carry up to 40 gallons a day, but the stress is much.”
Sunday, another shuttle driver, shared how the business evolved during the exam period:
“I used to transport students from Behind Flat into the campus, but when there was no light and no water, students stayed put. So, I started fetching water instead,” he explained.
He also purchased water in town for N100 per gallon and sold it for N300 on campus.
“It wasn’t easy—the fuel costs, and the hours spent waiting at the boreholes,” Sunday said.
For Sunday and many others, the shift to water vending during the exam period was born out of necessity:
“When there’s no transport job and no light, water becomes the next priority. It kept us going.”
Nkụrùmmiri Boys (Water Fetchers)
As the water shortage worsened, the Nkụrùmmiri boys became the backbone of water delivery on campus.
These are young boys, mostly from neighbouring communities, who gather water from distant boreholes or private taps and carry it across campus.
Chinedu, one of the Nkụrùmmiri boys, recalled the exhaustion that came with every trip:
“I would carry between 10 to 15 jerry cans on my head during exam periods. The demand is always high. Ten to fifteen trips could earn me N3,000 to N4,000, but the effort is grueling,” he said.
Another Nkụrùmmiri boy highlighted the risks involved:
“Sometimes the containers would leak or fall off. I also had to deal with security men who stopped us for no reason at the school gate,” he added.
Tanker Drivers Delivering Bulk Water
For larger needs, such as hostels and lodges, tanker drivers became the major suppliers. These large trucks, carrying up to 5,000 liters of water, were lifelines for many on campus.
Mr. James, a tanker operator, spoke about the difficulty of sourcing water, especially during the dry season:
“We’d drive to boreholes in nearby towns. Some days, we waited for hours just to load water. Even then, the roads were bad, and fuel prices were high. But the water had to be delivered. Exam periods made it worse because people needed water for cooking, bathing, and studying,” he explained.
Though the price for tanker water was steep—ranging from N20,000 to N25,000 per delivery—Mr. Okoro pointed out that it was still a necessity.
Many of the vendors wished circumstances were different.
“I didn’t sign up to push water under the hot sun all day,” Chinedu said. “But when there’s no water in the hostels or lodges, we do what we have to do.”
In times when there was no electricity and taps ran dry, these vendors became the true lifelines of the campus. The fact that students had to depend on them for something as basic as water serves as a stark reminder of the larger crisis.
Water is essential to life, and when accessing it becomes a daily battle, it doesn’t just affect health and hygiene—it impacts academic performance, mental well-being, and the overall quality of student life.
Editorial1 year ago