U.N. calls for better water supply in Lagos

A United Nations expert, Léo Heller has urged authorities in Lagos to ensure that the 2017 budget improves funding for water and sanitation access  in the state.

According to Heller, who is the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, the 21 million residents of Lagos, struggle to find water suitable for drinking and sanitation. Estimates suggest only one in 10 people have access to water supplied by the state utility provider.

Heller statement comes after the State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode presented a proposed budget of N813billion to the Lagos House of Assembly on November 29.

“Government reports indicate alarmingly high deficits in the sector, representing clearly unacceptable conditions for millions of the megacity’s residents,” a U.N. statement quoted Heller as saying.

More funding could be used to improve the state utility provider, adopt financing schemes and reduce water losses, he said.

Lagos is the biggest city in Africa’s most populous nation. A state government spokesman declined to comment.

Despite having Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria has one of the highest child death rates from water-borne diseases in Africa. It has sought international development help to finance new water treatment plants and expand its distribution networks.

As a result of the creaky public water system, many residents rely on private water suppliers, or bore into pipes themselves. Damaged pipes leak millions of gallons of treated water, about one-quarter of the supplies meant for homes, schools, hospitals and industry.

Water rights activists, labour unions and environmentalists blame the failure on the endemic corruption that permeates so much of Nigeria, which ranks in the bottom fifth on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.