CSOs reject commercialisation of water in Lagos 2017 budget

A coalition of civil society and labour activists have demanded that the Lagos State House of Assembly reject a recommendation in the 2017 budget proposal which explicitly suggests Public Private Partnership (PPP) as the arrangement to improve the water sector in the state. The coalition in a jointly signed statement however rejected the proposal, insisting […]

A coalition of civil society and labour activists have demanded that the Lagos State House of Assembly reject a recommendation in the 2017 budget proposal which explicitly suggests Public Private Partnership (PPP) as the arrangement to improve the water sector in the state.

The coalition in a jointly signed statement however rejected the proposal, insisting that it does not reflect the genuine yearnings of Lagosians who believe that only democratic control of water under the public sector will guarantee access and affordability of water in the state.

The groups include Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Peace and Development Project (PEDEP), Citizen Center and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), among others.

ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: "We find it strange and disturbing that despite the position of local communities, activists and unions that what Lagos really needs is public investment and democratic control of water, the spurious provision on PPP was smuggled into the budget proposal for 2017.

This suggestion should be discarded by the State Assembly if the honourable lawmakers truly represent the people." He said that since the budget is an agglomeration of recommendations from all the ministries it has become very clear that the PPP idea is being floated by a ministry in the state that knows it is a myth but wants to foist it on the people purely for profit motives.

He said the state was given a simple alternative in the "Lagos Water Crisis:

Alternative Roadmap for Water Sector" document and that they believe the recommendations can be implemented by the Lagos State Government and Lagos State Water Corporation over a short and long-term basis.