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Activists allege lack of transparency in Lagos water sector reforms

By Edu Abade
10 August 2017   |   4:29 am
Activists under the auspices of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) have condemned the secrecy and lack of transparency of the Lagos State government and its World Bank partners in its water sector reforms.

Lagos State Waste Water Management Treatment Plants at Abesan,Oke-Afa and Iponri PHOTO: www.lagoswaterreg.org.ng

Activists under the auspices of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) have condemned the secrecy and lack of transparency of the Lagos State government and its World Bank partners in its water sector reforms.

Deputy Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said this at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, noting that the state government was aggressively pushing the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the water sector with the support of the World Bank and several companies linked to it.

“In recent months, we have learnt that the Lagos State government has penciled Veola, Metito and the Spanish company, Abengoa to take control of Adiyan II, which will supply water to millions of Lagosians despite their track record of abuse around the world. We wonder how the government arrived at its decision.”

Akinbode cautioned that it was dangerous to put the control of water, which is a necessity of life, in private hands. “ERA/FoEN is, therefore, asking that the state government stop dealing with the World Bank and corporations directly or remotely linked to it.

“We also want the state to make public and revoke Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with corporations and others bent on foisting PPP water privatisation on Lagos citizens.

“Lagos should allow transparency and meaningful civil society engagement in the water reform process by providing a timeline for water sector reforms like the Adiyan II waterworks and consulting with Lagosians on the best way out of the water crisis,” the group said.

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