BATNF donates solar-powered borehole water facility to Ogun community

By Chimezie Godfrey

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has been commended for its humanitarian services.

This commendation was given by the Chairman, Odeda Local Government, Ogun State, Mrs Afolasade Adeyemo, during the donation of a 20,000-litre solar-powered borehole in Adugan Community, Olodo, in Odeda town, Ogun State.

The water facility, which has a water management kiosk, five water dispensing taps, six 260 watts solar panels that power a submersible pump and a wire mesh fence that protects the facility, is expected to provide access to potable water and support domestic use for more than 2,000 Adugan community members and neighbouring communities. The facility also has a manually operated pump provided to ensure a constant and sustainable supply of water in the community.  

In a welcome address, the General Manager, BATN Foundation, Oludare Odusanya, said that the BATN Foundation’s attention was drawn to the lack of potable water and felt the need to provide the borehole facility for the community, after a recent visit to the project site of the inaugural winner of the Farmer’s for the Future grant, a BATN Foundation youth agriculture empowerment scheme, situated in the community. He noted that the borehole water facility was one of the over 100 boreholes provided by the Foundation in various communities across the federation.  

In her address, Mrs Adeyemo thanked the BATN Foundation for its intervention in providing a critical facility for the agrarian community, while pledging more private sector assistance.                                                                                                                                              
“Water is a very essential gift to life. That is why this intervention by BATN Foundation is highly appreciated. The intervention has taken a huge burden off our necks. As you know, government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of providing social amenities for citizens,” she said.

The  Olu of Olodo, Dr Adeosun Ebenezer, who was also in attendance expressed appreciation to BATN Foundation for the humanitarian gesture, and implored the residents of Adugan community and the  neighboring communities in the village to put the facility into good use and take adequate care of it.                                                                                   
BATN Foundation was established as an independent charity in November 2002 to support the socio-economic development of Nigeria with an emphasis on those living in rural communities.

In its 20 years of impacting and enriching the lives of people living in rural communities, the Foundation has in addition to constructing boreholes, supported over 1.2 million beneficiaries in the six geo-political zones with an investment of about two billion naira in sustainable agricultural development.