185 Groups Write Ambode Over Water Sector Proposal

The aversion of the public against plans by the Lagos State Government to embark on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the water sector is gathering momentum as 185 national and global organisations have wrtten to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode asking him to stop the plans and instead commit to democratically-controlled water systems that the people can have a say in.
The groups led by the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) expressed aversion to the Lagos State Water Corporation pursuing multiple concessions and other corporate contracts, including a 25-year concession for the Adiyan II project, and a PPP for the Odomola project.
According to them, experiences in cities around the world show that PPPs and other privatisation contracts often bring unexpected costs for cities, raise rates for consumers, and produce labor violations and infrastructure neglect.
They therefore urged the Lagos government to withdraw current efforts to secure corporate concessions and contracts in the water sector and commit to public funding of water and ensure robust and accountable democratic process for implementing any legislation relating to water and sanitation.
The groups said they are eager to see the Ambode administration commit to ensuring the human right to water through a democratic and public system which would not only ensure all Lagosians can access clean and safe water but would also set an example for governments around the world.
The Tide learnt that several key government functionaries in the Lagos State government were copied in the letter. They include the Lagos Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Samuel Babatunde Adejare, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, and Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi.