Concerns heighten over water shortage in Lagos

 

… as cholera claims 76 lives in Ebonyi

Caleb Ojewale

Some residents in Lagos State have expressed displeasure over non-supply of water by the Lagos State Water Corporation‎ over the past three weeks, a situation that can bring about an epidemic as the residents have resorted to drinking water from wells and boreholes that are unsuitable for human consumption.

Residents of some of the affected areas on Allen and Ikeja axis alleged that some staff of the corporation said the disconnection was due to non-payment of water rates over a period of time.

While the residents are apprehensive on the likelihood of outbreak of water related diseases like cholera, poor water supply among other points of welfare concern has recently led to protests by students of the University of Lagos, a development that has resulted in the school being shut down with only few weeks to examinations.

Last week, it was reported that Ebonyi State recorded deaths due to outbreak of cholera affecting about 11 local government areas.

According to the Centre for Disease Control, cholera is most likely to be found and spread in places with inadequate water treatment, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Researchers have estimated that every year, there are roughly 1.4 to 4.3 million cases, and 28,000 to 142,000 deaths per year worldwide due to cholera. The short incubation period of two hours to five days is one factor that triggers the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks, says the World Health Organisation.

The long-term solution for cholera control (which benefits all diseases spread by the fecal-oral route) lies in economic development and universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, which is key in preventing both epidemic and endemic cholera.

But Olu Akinmuleya, public relations officer of the Lagos State Water Corporation, told BusinessDay that the non-supply of water to some parts of the state had nothing to do with non-payment of water rates.

Akinmuleya said the corporation had been suffering from some technical issues, including electricity supply, resulting in the taps not running to capacity.

“What I’m aware of is the water vendors who have not paid and a stakeholders meeting was called, during which that has been resolved,” Akinmuleya said.

He further explained that “Even if we have people that are owing us and yet to pay, in Lagos people still believe that water should be free. The people that are not getting water, it is not a deliberate disconnection. We had major technical issues particularly at Iju and Akute areas where engineers have been working round the clock to resolve those technical issues.

These are two major water works that supply the Lagos metropolis. It is not a deliberate thing and we are still pleading with Lagosians to bear with us and in the next few days, we should be able to fix the problem.”

However, the corporation’s spokesperson was non-committal on when water will be restored to the residents, who are becoming apprehensive of the promise by governor Akinmumi Ambode’s administration of making lives more meaningful to Lagosians.

However, Jumai Fabuyi, public relations officer of the University of Lagos Students Union (ULSU), told BusinesDay that while hostel accommodation had been challenging and unconducive, in particular, students had for some time been facing challenges in accessing clean water, a situation that resulted in long queues for water to be made available.

Last week, Daniel Umuzuruike, Ebonyi State commissioner for health, said within five months the state witnessed outbreak of cholera, the disease that ravaged 38 communities in 11 local government areas killed 76 persons.