The FCT Water Board authorities are always chasing Mai Ruwa, the name for local water vendors, away, particularly from the highbrow areas of Maitama, Asokoro and Wuse II.

The Board, which also undertakes Mai Ruwa's kind of business, in a way, with its water tanks, seems to be finding it difficult to meet the federal capital's water needs. Of course, residents readily welcome Mai Ruwa. There is hardly any street without water truck pushers, including those in Maitama, Gwarinpa and Asokoro areas.

Sleeping under a tree and trying to get some rest was what Sule Maikano, a water vendor, was doing before continuing with his tedious job of supplying water to a neighbourhood in Asokoro. Sule narrated his daily experience and how he goes about doing his job to Weekly Trust. "I no go lie to you, hajia; this work no be easy one," said the 26-year-old Sule.

"I have to wake up very early to go and queue for water at the borehole so that we can supply our various customers. The borehole people do not make things any better as they keep increasing the money for purchasing water and by the time we try to sell it to get our money back and make a little profit, our customers complain, making us to sell at a loss".

The life of abuja's Mai Ruwa is something funny but pitiable despite the fact that many of their clients are well-to-do. "I manage a small place in the park in karu with one of my cousins who introduced me to the business and advised that I come down from Kano to do the job, because there is a scarcity of water in the capital city and people are in need of water here."

And this is how they start the business of water vending in the FCT: "When I first came to Abuja I had to rent the cart I use to convey water for N100 for every two hours and at the end of the day we end up paying N600 to N800 daily, so I resolved to save and buy my own cart". He said even with buying his own cart he still faces problems in terms of trying to maintain the cart. "I change tyres frequently because of the terrible state of roads. Some of my customers live uphill and or you know how the roads leading up to these hills are, rocky and full of pot holes which in turn damage our carts."

With the increasing water scarcity, Sule said when they are faced with it, they turn to streams and ponds along nearby Abacha Barracks, adding that he uses Water Guard (a brand of purifier) to treat the water he fetches from the ponds before he sells to his customers because, according to him, he knows that if he sells the water like that, he will surely face the wrath of his creator because it will be unfair on his own part to sell contaminated water to unsuspecting customers. Honesty in business, one might say.

Though the job provides him with means of livelihood, he would prefer a better job than this one with the various risks and stress involved in pushing carts under the hot sun and ever-busy roads. He said: "I have to take painkillers every evening. Because at night I feel as if I have been beaten to a pulp, but I have no choice than to do this job to keep body and soul together. I must confess to you that it is not easy".

Water supply became attractive to one Abdul who had to change the course of his business when he came in from Maradi in neighbouring Niger Republic. "I came to Nigeria to sell charms because I know a lot of Nigerians like them, but I came to realize that selling water is far more lucrative and I get more customers in this line of business. I have four houses I constantly supply water in Asokoro and I make profit. Sometimes I'm happy if the taps are not running in the houses because that is the only way I get to eat, but sometimes I get really tired of pushing my truck because I get to fill my jerry cans far from my clients' houses. I sell a jerry can for as little as N60 or N70 depending on how hot the sun is."

Another mai ruwa, Habila from Kaduna State, said: "It's not funny at all and I always wonder how a city as beautiful as the FCT will be planned without any provision for water. I am losing some of my customers to bore holes and I don't like it when I go round without making sales. Although I pity the people who buy water on daily basis from us, it is also a way for us to make our own clean money. My colleague Hamza is successful, as the person he supplies water has given him accommodation. It will be easy for him to supply water for the family at any given time.

There is another side of their survival tactics as narrated by Sule Maikano. "I make sure I save. I do this by giving at least half of the money I make daily to thrift collectors. Then during big sallah, I collect and go to kano to take care of the needs of my siblings and parents. They think I have made it big in Abuja but I try to make them see what I pass through every day to get the money I spend on them. My brother still disturbs me that he wants to come and join me in the business, but I cannot let him come because I do not yet have a place to accommodate him here."

"Praise be to Allah as what I make is enough to take care of my wife and children, but then I cannot bring them to Abuja until I find a comfortable place to rent or if possible buy (laughing). Seriously, I wish to own a house in Abuja with the proceeds of my trade." That sounds like a tall ambition given the expensive nature of property in Abuja and its environs.

The water vendors in the suburbs of Abuja are not left out. One in karu said: "The way most of these borehole operators behave would only make us decide quitting the job only because they want to maximise profit, they try to frustrate our efforts by increasing the price every now and then. They fail to realize that we need to make ends meet because this job is a very serious and tedious one," said Musa Shehu.

He added that the Abuja Environmental Board does not seem to make things any better as its officials most times harass them and at the end of the day they end up parting with some of the money they made for the day. "They themselves benefit from our business because we supply them water, but they make use of the slightest opportunity have to extort money from them, instead of encouraging us."

"for now, we do not have any choice than to continue with our business in supplying water to those in need of it and I must be honest with you, we do not wish that the water problem is resolved, for obvious reasons." Shehu posed a question: "Can you imagine how the city would be with everybody from each household coming out to look for water? You can say we are the real Water Board people because if we go on strike for one day, most tactivities will stand still."