RE: SEVERE WATER CRISIS LOOMS IN LAGOS- CSOs The attention of the Lagos State Water Corporation has been drawn to a Publication in Daily Independent newspaper of Friday 12th December, 2014 being part of a text delivered by Mr. Olufemi Akinbode, Director, Corporate Campaigns, Enviromental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria(ERA/FOEN) at a Media Parley held on the 11th of December, 2014. The issues raised by Olufemi Akinbode relate to Privatization, Price increase, Water shortage, Misappropriation of Foreign loans and Water quality. We hereby wish to set the records straight and respond as follows. Privatization according to the Webster dictionary is ‘’transfer of ownership from state control to private owners. Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC) which is the Agency responsible for the production, distribution & supply of water to the teeming population of Lagos State, with a view to establishing cost recovery mechanisms to guarantee sustainability, wishes to state unequivocally that there is no plan whatsoever to privatize, transfer or divest the ownership of the Corporation to private hands. It is, in fact, against the Laws of The Lagos State Government as it stands today. PPP is not privatization. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is not privatization. Privatization involves the sale of government-owned assets to private investors while PPP typically involves the fresh injection of private capital into the efficient management of government-owned assets. It is the inclusion of the Private Sector in the development agenda of the Lagos State Government. This is in order to alleviate poverty and accelerate rapid service delivery in an effective and efficient manner for sustainability and socio-economic development of Lagosians. The Second National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (2NUWSRP) by the World Bank is geared toward supporting the Lagos Water Corporation in this direction. For further information on PPP and other LWC initiatives, please visit: lagoswater.org For further clarification, the facts are as follows. • Total installed capacity is about 210 million gallons per day whereas the actual water demand is 745 million gallons per day. This means there is a shortfall of 535 million gallons. • The population of Lagos State is projected to hit 29 million by year 2020; hence there is the urgent need to increase water supply from 210 million gallons per day to 745 million gallons per day by year 2020. • The resource required to achieve this is in excess of 3.5 billion dollars. No State Government can single-handedly afford this amount; this has necessitated the need to involve the Private Sector, both Domestic & Foreign investors. • The ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between demand and supply and to make potable water available to all. • It is pertinent to reiterate the reality that water production, distribution and supply involve a huge cost; hence water must be appropriately priced not only to recover the cost, but to ensure the continuity of production and to enhance the quality of water that is being supplied. It is in the light of this that the LWC has called on the State Government to address the issue of low tariff currently being charged by the Corporation which is meanwhile Fifty Naira per Cubic Metre; that is, Fifty Naira per one thousand litres, which is no longer reasonable considering the cost involved in production. This issue is being addressed by the Lagos State Regulatory Commission. • The Lagos State Government needs to accelerate the provision of infrastructure; the speed must be commensurate with the rate of the population explosion. Though construction work is on-going in Adiyan phase 2 presently, it must be stated that the gap between the construction of Adiyan phase 1 and 2 is about 23 years, this time lag can best be explained due to the paucity of funds and the ever increasing population within the state. • Since the intervention of the World Bank and the Lagos Water Corporation through the Second National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (2NUWSRP), in the last eight years, rehabilitation of mini and micro water works has taken place in areas like Isolo, Apapa, Amuwo-Odofin, Somolu, Ikorodu, Shasa, Badagry, Victoria Island, Eredo, Idimu, Agege, Epe to mention a few. • These expansionary works are in addition to the existing three major waterworks viz: Iju, Adiyan(1), Iju and Isashi water works. • All the Water works run by Lagos Water Corporation are well equipped with up-to-date laboratories to address quality assurance issues. • • LWC has established and implements a Stakeholder Policy, to strengthen Customer Feedback and Interaction. This allows consumers and the citizens of Lagos State to engage in all processes which would address the supply of cost effective, potable water. • Contact details of all Customer Care Personnel in Zonal and Area offices have been published and circulated. With the foregoing brief remarks, it is advisable that CSOs; The Media and concerned citizens contact the LWC first so that they can make informed statements when discussing issues relating to production and distribution of water in Lagos State. LWC wishes to assure the general public that, though there are challenges with regards to our ability to meet the current water demand for reasons stated but not limited to the above, the quantum of water being served to the public is treated, clean, clear and drinkable. We reiterate our commitment to continue to serve the good people of Lagos with safe and drinkable water.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 18:07:09 +0000