ERA/FoEN presents book on alternative roadmap for public water sector

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has presented a documented report detailing the way out of the crisis in the Lagos water sector.

The book, titled: ‘Lagos Water Crisis: Alternative Roadmap for Water Sector’ provides solutions to the critical situation of access to water in Africa’s most populous city, Lagos.

The 56-page book is a sobering, reflective and penetrating excursion into the stark profile of public water utility in Lagos. However, while it paints an ugly picture of the water sector, it also offers a ray of hope.

The book is also promoted as workable solution as opposed to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) water privatization which the state government is endorsing.

In his welcome address during the public presentation of the book, the Deputy Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi said, the water crisis is Lagos is further compounded by the approach and strategies now being adopted by the government.

“The Lagos State Supply Master Plan only promotes one false option and one roadmap only: privatization or better still; Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). PPP is a model that has failed woefully in several cities across the world is being promoted by the World Bank and other Financial Institution. Communities that have gone down that path, are struggling to reverse course, and hundreds have abandoned PPPs after trying them-they sometimes generate profit, but low-income people can’t drink profit.”

Oluwafemi said, the campaign against water privatization is hinged on well-documented concerns that privatization or PPPs in the water sector would lead to violations of human right to water and deny citizens universal access to safe drinking water.

“There are also concerns that the whole privatization process including an Advisory Agreement with the World Bank were conducted in secret, without ensuring active, free and meaningful citizens’ participation.

“There is also the worry about job losses, high tariffs and the possibility of social unrest if water privatization is forced on the people.”

He however urged the government to reject all forms of water privatization and commodification, revise all water sector laws that promotes PPP, show political leadership by making adequate budgetary allocations to the water sector, fully uphold the human right to water as an obligation of the government, representing the people.

“Integrate broad public participation in developing plans to achieve universal access to clean water, develop genuine worker-management cooperation to allow water sector employees to share concerns without fear of retaliation and improve our water infrastructure together.

“Reject contracts designed by involving, or influenced by the IFC, which operates to maximize private profit. Disclose all IFC and World Bank activity and discussion with Lagos government officials regarding water, including formal and informal advisory roles.”

Oluwafemi further said, “We have however made this clear that we will assist the government in developing real solutions that truly address people’s access to water from the prism of human rights. We have also said that those solutions cannot be found in corporate management of public goods, but in collective investment in water above profits. Today, we are presenting in the form of a book that alternative roadmap to the failed roadmap being promoted by the World Bank and corporations, and their friends in high places here in Nigeria.”

A former member of the House of Representatives, Uche Onyeagocha said it’s important people show interest in every aspect of water.

“That you’re able to have access to bottled water or sachet water, you assume everyone has access to same. But, keep a piece of paper and write how much you spend on water in a week and multiply by 12 and you’ll know water is a big business.

“Water is an essential commodity and must not be traded upon. Everyone recognizes how much we’ve depended on it and government wants to commercialize it.”

Mrs Bisi Fasasi from Epee Local Government Area said, though the government promised to provide water for everybody, “yet we pay to have access to water, we pay for. The government should make water accessible for every household.”

Chairperson, Africa Women Water Sanitation and Hygiene Network Nigeria (AWWASHNET), Comrade Sessi Agnes Funmi said, water is crucial in the life of everyone and women are responsible for taking acre of the family and so they are to be at the forefront to ensure that water is made a commodity.

“The Lagos state government has taken money from the World Bank but there are wastage and abandoned infrastructure. We pay taxes, yet we pay for water.”

Achike Chide of Joint Action Front (JAF) said, no government has the right to privatize what belongs to everybody. If water is life, them the move by the government is to privatize our lives and at the end of the day, we’ll wake up and find out that we have nothing.”

The book reviewer, Chico Onumah, Coordinator of the African Centrex for Media and Information Literacy (AFRIMAL) said, the book examines public water successes, citing examples and models from around the world which Lagos could draw from if it is committed to re-inventing its public water system.

Speaking with Daily Times, Dr Tunde Akanni, a lecturer of Journalism at the Lagos State University (LASU) who rendered the text of the reviewer said, water is fundamental to human health system and should not be commercialized.

“Water is absolutely indispensable to everyone’s existence. The book is a well-researched report by ERA/FoEN explaining Lagosians’ difficulty in accessing water with which they can survive and this cuts across all spectral of the society.

“I live in the GRA and the facility in which I live does not depend on public water supply. If people like us who live in the GRA are this much challenged about accessing water, you can imagine what people in densely populated parts of the city will be confronted with.”

According to the book, Lagos is responsible for more than 60% of industrial and commercial activities in Nigeria. The Lagos Water Supply Master Plan estimates daily water demand in the city at 540 million gallons per (MGD)day and production by the Lagos State Water Corporationat 210 MGD.

It says, however, that the Corporation’s website lists total production capacity at only 163 MGD. By 2020, water demand is expected to reach 733 MGD.

Other Civil Society Organisations represented at the book presentation are: Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPTRE), Public Service International (PSI), Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC), The Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Child Health Organization, Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Women Empowerment Centrex (WEP), among others.

The book is joint effort of the ERA/FoEN, Corporate Accountability International, PSI, Public Service International Research Unit (PSIU) and Transnational Institute (TNI).