Declare state of emergency in water sector, Coalition urges FG

A coalition of water justice organisations and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the water sector.

The coalition comprises the Renevyln Development Initiative (RDI), Citizens Free Service Forum,  Environmental Defenders Network, Ecumenical Water Network Africa, New Life Community Care Initiative, and the Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre.

They made this call during the presentation of their report titled “Dry Taps: A Damning Verdict on the State of Water Facilities in Nigeria” on Thursday in Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2025 World Water Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the document assesses the state of water utilities in six states across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Lagos, Oyo, Enugu, Edo, Kano, and Kogi.

Presenting the report, Mr Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of RDI, stated that their findings revealed that most major waterworks in the six states were providing inconsistent services and operating below their installed capacity.

He noted that many of the mini and micro-waterworks in these states had either been completely shut down, neglected, or extensively vandalised, requiring a comprehensive overhaul of the sector.

“From all the states visited, the discoveries are similar. Utter neglect, facilities constructed and machines bought with taxpayers’ money running into billions of naira deliberately or negligently allowed to collapse and rot away.

“In some cases, such as in Lagos and Kano, the allure of privatisation by administrators seems to be one of the reasons the facilities are allowed to die, paving the way for privatisers to take over,” the coalition stated.

According to Jakpor, the coalition is calling on both federal and state governments to integrate broad public participation in formulating plans to achieve universal water access and to suspend the privatisation of the sector.

“The federal and state governments should reject all forms of water privatisation and commodification. They should fully uphold the human right to water as a government obligation, representing the people.

“Governments at all levels should build the political will to prioritise water for citizens, leading to a comprehensive plan that invests in water infrastructure.

“This is necessary to provide universal water access, jobs, improved public health, and economic revitalisation,” the coalition said.

The coalition also revealed that ageing infrastructure in the public water sector was causing inefficiencies and frequent breakdowns in water supply.

They called for urgent renovation to ensure a sustainable and reliable water supply.

“Governments at all levels should prioritise public funding for water infrastructure upgrades.

“The pipelines, pumps, and treatment systems in these facilities are old and fast deteriorating, leading to inefficiencies and frequent breakdowns.

“There is a need for infrastructural renovation in water utilities due to disuse, rusting, vandalism, and sabotage to ensure sustainable water supply,” Jakpor said.

He added that their findings revealed a shortage of essential water treatment chemicals, such as alum, chlorine, and lime, which was affecting water purification.

The coalition urged that their supply be prioritised in all states to maintain water quality.

They also noted that unreliable power supply has caused frequent disruptions in public water facilities’ operations.

They urged the government to invest in alternative energy sources, such as windmills and solar technologies, to ensure uninterrupted water supply.

The coalition stressed the need for improved public accountability in managing water resources, including a thorough investigation into the billions of naira allocated through loans for water schemes.

According to them, existing staff in water utilities should receive further training, their welfare should be improved, and additional technical personnel should be recruited to enhance operational efficiency. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)