The Lagos State Government has insisted that providing safe, affordable water and sanitation services to residents and industrial areas through financing from local and international private sector investors remains a task that must be achieved in the next 12-18 months under the state’s Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) scheme.
Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who stated this on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at this year’s Lagos International Water Conference (LIWAC 5.0) with the theme: Financing Water and Sanitation for a Greater Lagos, maintained that the state government was resolute in moving away from rhetoric to action in its quest to provide potable water to Lagos residents.
Citing his statement during LWAC 2022 edition with the theme: Unlocking Investments and Sustainable Access to Clean Water and Sanitation Services: The Regulatory Imperative, he maintained that the state was resolute in permanently addressing the state’s water crisis through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
He said: “We acknowledge that although financing the water sector has been a challenge, we intend to make potable water available and accessible to Lagosians by shopping for private sector investments, as most of the financing for water and sanitation comes from public budget and donor financing, hence our Call-for-Action to the private sector to explore the huge opportunities that abound in the water sector and sanitation services sub-sector in Lagos, to deliver value while also enjoying commercial gains.”
Sanwo-Olu also stressed that the LIWAC, which has been held yearly since 2020, has not actually achieved the needed intervention in the state water sector and therefore, it was time to move away from mere rhetoric to action, insisting that with financing from private investors and partners from across the world, the 70 million gallons capacity Adiyan II Waterworks will be completed by next year.
Specifically, he pointed out that due to politics, red tape and vested interests, making the Lagos water system to function has been delayed, adding: “They say water has no enemy, but people have ensured that water now has a lot of enemies, but we are moving away from mere talks and rhetoric to concrete action.
“And so next year 2025, the 70 million gallons per day Adiyan II Waterworks must be revived to provide potable water to the people of Lagos State. We will move from 100 million gallons to over 150 million gallons within the next 12 months to 18 months. We will ensure that all those saddled with the responsibility to make this happen will play their part to achieve the target.”
Other speakers, who addressed delegates at the conference, including the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, Mrs. Funke Adepoju and Lagos State Head of Service, Bode Agoro, stressed that the state government was resolute in reshaping and restructuring the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) through PPPs.
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“We are resolute in reshaping, refocusing and restructuring the Lagos Water Corporation through private sector investors or Public Private Participation (PPPs) and implementation of sustainable solutions. There is no going back on the plan because access to water is essential to good life,” Agoro said.
In her welcome address, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), Mrs. Funle Adepoju, said the specific objectives of the LIWAC 2024 include developing innovative financing models to achieve sustainable water and sanitation solutions in Lagos, creating a comprehensive WASH framework that includes private service providers and harnesses local private investments through targeted PPP models and fostering collaboration and partnerships to ensure effective implementation of the strategies.
“A robust and effective regulatory framework is critical in realizing these objectives… and it is essential that the nature of the water and sanitation sector requires implementing a pragmatic regulatory framework with high-level political championship and support,” she stated.
Also speaking, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, maintained that as the population of Lagos continues to grow, the demand for water resources escalates, placing significant pressure on existing infrastructure and systems.
“Therefore, it is imperative that we find sustainable and innovative ways to finance and manage our water resources to meet the needs of our growing population. The theme of the conference: Financing Water and Sanitation for a Greater Lagos, highlights the crucial importance of financial resources in achieving our goals of water security, accessibility and sustainability.
“In the conference, we have the opportunity to learn from experts, researchers, policymakers and practitioners from around the world, who have successfully implemented innovative financing mechanisms for water management. We will explore various models, such as Public-Private Partnerships, sustainable financing strategies and innovative technology solutions that can help us overcome the financial barriers and ensure the availability of clean and safe water to all residents of Lagos,” he stated.
