Residents of Lagos State are
apprehensive over plans by the government to privatise the state water
corporation and subsequently ban the sinking of boreholes by landlords in their
premises.
Already, a bill is said to have been forwarded to the
Lagos State House of Assembly to this effect.
Lagos residents, who spoke to Sunday Independent,
described the plan as laughable, contending that the government has not been
able to provide the people with basic amenities.
Sunday Independent gathered that government's plan is due
to long term environmental impact and damage to the state and its people by the
uncontrolled sinking of borehles by house owners in the state, as well as to
check the incidence of water borne diseases.
Managing Director of the corporation, Shayo Holloway, it
would be recalled, had disclosed that about N689.5 billion ($3.5 billion) would
be required to execute the Lagos State Water Master Plan that would take the
state from its current 210 million gallons per day to 745 million gallons by
2020, the corporation is sponsoring a bill to stop Lagosians from sinking
borehole in order to prevent water borne diseases.
When contacted, residents of Bariga and Koshofe Local
Government Areas flayed the proposed bill, contending that government had not
put an alternative in place to bring their well-intentioned project to reality.
A resident of Ifako-Bariga and a water merchant, who
preferred anonymity, acknowledged that the government laid underground water
pipes recently in the area, lamenting that he did not see the project working.
"People who call themselves advisers to the
government are not sincere most of the time.
"This is because they are beclouded on what they get
in return from their proposal for contracts that will even create more problems
for people.
"Government alone cannot meet the demands of the
water supply of Lagosians.
"Even in some areas of Surulere, where government tap
runs, it is irregular and exorbitant and out of reach of many homes that still queue
up to get water from taps," he noted.
He advised the state government to allow private water
merchants to operate to ensure that the taps never run dry.
Another respondent of Shomolu area, Tajudeen Salako,
frowned at the proposal to stop Lagosians from sinking boreholes, saying that
owners of private residents cannot depend on government's irregular water
supply for the cleanliness of their premises.
A water hawker of Northern origin, Abubakar Gombe, said
the bill, if successful, is capable of taking food away from the table of his
family.
When asked about the safety of the water he supplies to
his clients for consumption, Gombe explained that he only supplies water for
household cleaning and general washing.
He appealed to the government not to give approval to the
bill.
In the Iju Ishaga area of the state, the host community to
the state water corporation, the residents lamented that they rely solely on
boreholes and water vendors, otherwise known as meruwa. The people therefore
urged the government to stay action on the plans for now.
"Lagos State Water Corporation does not have the
capacity to supply water to every resident presently.
"Even in areas like Surulere, where government has
introduced metering, it is not working.
"There are issues of water leakages and effective
distribution network even in areas where statutorily they are serving now, what
do you expect when it is statewide," said Samuel Adewale.
"I don't know how they are going to do it. In my area, Iju Ishaga, we use
boreholes.
"We don't enjoy the water corporation, even though it
is in our community. How do you want us to cope?" queried Mrs. Esther
Okafor.
At the Ajegunle area, Anabel Imoke, wondered that if
households in Lagos are banned from helping themselves with boreholes, who
would they turn to.
She said: "If the government promises to provide each
compound with pipe borne water, how constant will the supply be? Is it the one
that will run a week and the other week off?
It is better they change their mind and come up with
favourable policies that will reduce the sufferings of Lagosians rather than
worsen it.
"Those in the drilling business will be left
unemployed and those who enjoy their services will suffer for it as well.
Frankly, for over 20 years that I have been in Lagos,
there is nothing like water supply from government. When I don't feel like
using well water, I buy bore hole or tap water to do my washings.
According to Florence Asuquo, "There is nothing like
supply of water from water corporation in my neighbourhood.
"Those who don't have well or borehole water either
buy or go to other compounds to fetch water.
While most of us buy drinking water from retailers who own
tanks, these retailers are supplied water in tankers by individual companies.
Whereas those who prefer sachet water commonly known as
pure water go for that option.
"I don't believe in any promise made by the
government. That was how they dug up the streets where I reside, with the
reason that they would lay pipes for the supply of tap water. But, as I speak,
nothing of such promise has happened.
"It is one of the primary responsibilities of the
government to provide water for its citizens, but sadly most communities suffer
so much for water.
"Now, with this proposed ban, I think there is a
misplacement of priority somewhere, which will make Lagosians suffer.
"I rather suggest that government channels its energy
into ensuring steady supply of water for the masses in addition to the
boreholes existing in different neighbourhoods."
In Agege, some residents, who spoke to Sunday Independent urged the government
provide domestic connections of water before any policy is made on matter.
According to Solomon Ajayi, the government policy would
have been good if the water corporation is working, but that there is no
availabiity of the water from the agency in the area.
To buttress his point, he cited Oyewole Road in Agege that
was constructed by the government, but what the resident have is just ordinary water
pipes that were laid, but have not been connected to the water works.
"Where does the state government want us to get water
from? He asked.
Another resident of the area, Ben Eze, said the policy
would only be effective if water taps in the area were working, adding that
since there are no public water supplies, the people they are bound to rely on
boreholes.
Eze argued that if the public water taps are there and
functional, that is only then that the government can talk about making policy
to stop the proliferation of boreholes in the state.
A landlord in the area who spoke to Sunday Independent
under the condition of anonymity, agreed with other respondents.
He said that the issue of sinking boreholes came about as
a result of the lack of public pipe borne water, adding that if the water works
had provided water for the people, the residents would not go about sinking
boreholes.
Also, a female resident in Mulero area of Agege, Mrs.
Francisca Oletu, advised the state government to provide alternative before
making policy to stop the proliferation of boreholes in the state.
She added that it is when the residents can connect to the
various water works in the state and water begins to run that the policy will
succeed, adding that if not for the bore holes, it would be difficult for the
residents to get water.
According to her, "Water is life and any policy on
water must be looked at critically".
Pius Emeka, an executive member of Ishenolu Community
Development Association (CDA), Ikorodu local government area, said he has never
got water from Ikorodu water scheme since he moved to the area more than 10
years.
Emeka expressed doubt on the workability of the intended
policy because in the first instance government has failed in its
responsibility of providing the basic needs of life including water.
"I am yet to understand how government will want to
regulate the drilling of borehole which has become the only alternative source
of drinking water to people in Nigeria," he said.
According to him, the intended law may be an attempt by government to tax the
people heavily and may be another opportunity by the government to impose tax
on the common people.
In the Idimu area of Alimosho Local Government Area,
majority of residents also condemned the government's plans to ban boreholes,
saying it is the only source of water apart from rainfall.
"How do they expect us to survive without borehole? I
don't know anywhere water corporation supplied water to homes in this
area," Omo Uyigue said.
She explained that she has never seen a water corporation
taps anywhere in the area, let alone pipe borne water.
"Boreholes are the only source of water we have. How
can they now think of banning them?
"Unless they have an alternative means of supplying
water to our homes."
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