Residents of Pindiga Community in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State have received a major boost in access to potable water and improved sanitation following the commissioning of a solar-powered water supply project and sanitation facilities at the Cottage Hospital, Pindiga.
The projects, commissioned on Thursday, September 3, 2026, were executed under the Nigerian Navy Chief of the Naval Staff Special Intervention Quick Impact Project (CNS-SIQIP) Scheme.
The intervention includes a solar-powered borehole, a 60,000-litre overhead water tank and water distribution points. The water supply has also been extended to the hospital mortuary and a mosque within the community.
Representing the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (AM), at the ceremony, the Director of Plans, Rear Admiral A. Yahaya, said the project underscored the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to Civil-Military Cooperation and addressing critical needs in host communities.
He said the initiative reflected the Navy’s understanding that national security and prosperity are strengthened when communities are supported through meaningful development interventions.
Rear Admiral Yahaya commended the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Navy Engineering Services Limited (NESL), Rear Admiral UU Faruk, for identifying potable water as a major need in his community and leveraging the CNS-SIQIP Scheme to provide a lasting solution.
He urged members of the community to protect and maintain the facilities to guarantee their sustainability and continued benefit to future generations.
In his remarks, Rear Admiral Faruk said the decision to prioritise water provision followed consultations with community elders.
According to him, Pindiga residents had for generations struggled to access clean water, with many relying on an unhygienic dam for drinking, cooking, bathing and other domestic needs.
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He also disclosed that inadequate sanitation at the Cottage Hospital had previously forced patients and staff to use surrounding bushes due to insufficient toilet facilities.
Faruk expressed optimism that the intervention would bring lasting relief to Pindiga and neighbouring communities while creating room for further development.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the conferment of a traditional title on the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (AM), by the Emir of Pindiga, Dr Mohammed Seyoji Ahmed.
The CNS was turbaned as Wakilin Wajen Pindiga, in recognition of his connection with and contributions to the community.
The Executive Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Alhaji Shehu Yerima Abdullahi.
The commissioning attracted traditional rulers, government officials, military officers, community leaders and residents, including the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Armour, Major General SD Makolo; Representative of the AOC SOC, Air Commodore Y Bashir; Commandant, 301 Artillery Regiment, Colonel SO Beke; Chairman, Pindiga Local Council Development Area, Alhaji Garba Wali; Chairman, Gona Local Council Development Area, Alhaji Bello Sulaiman; and former Chief Justice of Gombe State, Justice Muazu Abdulkadir Pindig
