By Martha Agas
A coalition Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has insisted that the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) should adopt the Public-Public Partnership (PUP) model in addressing the water crisis in the state.
The group consists of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Citizens Free Service Forum, Environmental Defenders Network, Child Health Organisation, Ecumenical Water Network Africa/Blue Communities Africa (EWNA/BCA), and New Life Community Care Initiative.
The group made the call in a statement by the Executive Director of RDI, Mr Philip Jakpor, on Monday in Abuja.
Jakpor said that the call became necessary following the invitation the coalition received to meet with the management of the LWC regarding the implementation of the pilot Public-Private Partnership initiative.
He said that on Sept. 9, the group had a meeting with the Lagos House of Assembly where it raised concerns over the water situation and kicked against adopting the Public Private Partnership initiative to address it.
He said that at the meeting, the Chairman of the Committee on Environment (Parastatals), Shabi Adekola observed the deficit in stakeholder consultation and the urgent need to address it.
“In view of that, the coalition urged the LWC to convene a stakeholder engagement where options for addressing the water crisis would be adopted.
“Our position, which was clearly stated to the legislators in the presence of the LWC officials in attendance, is that the Corporation should convene a genuine stakeholder engagement.
“This is with a wide spectrum of stakeholders where options for addressing the water crisis, including the Public Public Partnership model, can be discussed with a view to adopting democratic control of water,” he said.
According to Jakpor, the group anticipated an open-ended meeting, not a closed space which the proposed meeting represents.
He said that the coalition, therefore, declined the invitation and called for an expanded meeting for stakeholders.
“In view of the above, we respectfully decline this invitation.
“We urge the LWC management to heed the advice of the House by convening a truly people-focused consultation, where civil society and other stakeholders in Lagos can express their views and make propositions,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the coalition had jointly petitioned the decision of the LWC to go ahead with the privatisation agenda.
This is in spite of wide support for public sector solutions to the state’s water crisis.
It urged the Lagos government to learn from PPP failures in the United Kingdom and other countries across the globe that had experimented with the scheme.(NAN)
