Environmentalists call for strategic water, sanitation plans in Lagos
NAN-AE-11
Sanitation
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, Jan. 17, 2017 (NAN) Environmentalist, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, on Tuesday called on the Lagos State Government to put a strategic plan in place to tackle the water and sanitation situation in the state.
Osibanjo, also the President, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WMASON), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that this could be done through planning and enacting of appropriate policies.
Osibanjo said that the state government could assess the situation holistically by looking at fresh water resources available.
“The population of Lagos is increasing geometrically.
“As expected mega city, the government should anticipate the demand for water by the population and look at how to expand the existing facilities and building new ones.
“The government should also consider waste water management where fresh water is not available.
“The earlier the better because of the population envisaged as more people are being born and more are migrating to the state,’’ he said.
Osibanjo said that lack of control on digging of borehole had become a huge problem, as it had lead to the over exploitation of underground water in the state.
He said that the state needed master plan for sanitation and central sewage.
Osibanjo said there was need also to introduce functional health inspectors to educate the public on hygiene.
The president said that the non-existence of infrastructure for sewage management in the state had lead people to throwing refuse and anyhow thereby littering the drainage with refuse.
Mr John Ekoko, former Chairman, Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Lagos Island Chapter, said that the state government should work on increasing the water production and supply to homes.
Ekoko said that the government should also check proliferation of boreholes in the state.
He said that the cancellation of monthly sanitation calls for the beefing up of health inspection officers and allowing private participation in evacuation of wastes.
Mr Munimu Badmus, Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, had earlier said the Corporation would build new water works stations to help it increase potable water production in the state.
Badmus said that the corporation was already developing a model that would ensure that the projects were build through Public-Private Participation (PPP).
The managing director said that for the new projects they would also have reticulation lines to connect new areas to its supply scheme.
NAN reports that Mr Leo Heller, a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Special Rapporteur, had said there would be water and sanitation crises in Lagos State.
The independent monitoring expert, therefore, called for appropriate budget to tackle the situation. (NAN)
ACA/FF/AFA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Felix Ajide