Abuja, Jan. 29, 2019 (NAN) The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development Centre has expressed worry over water crisis in Nigeria, calling for political commitment from tiers of government to reverse the trend.
Dr Otive Igbuzor, the Executive Director of the centre, who made the call on the sidelines of the National Summit on the Human Right to Water in Abuja Nigeria, noted that it was a matter of regret that the sector was bedeviled with poor access.
He stressed the importance of water cannot, saying « it is one of the most important substances on earth and poor people lack access to clean water ».
According to him, the lack of water is known to be the leading cause of preventable diseases, making women and children more vulnerable to acute water shortages, and trekking long distances to get water.
« Women are disproportionately affected as they and children are often responsible for collecting water, the problem is contributing to health crisis, education crisis and economic crisis.
« The implication is that if the present trend continues, there could be a 40 per cent gap between water supply and demand by 2030 and by 2040, there will not be enough water to quench the thirst of the world population. »
Igbuzor noted that with political commitment from tiers of government, deliberate funding and improved water governance, lives would be better.
« All those working and struggling for access to water and a clean environment must link their struggle with the broader struggle for a society wherever there is justice.
« The water crisis cannot be solved in isolation, it requires the resolution of the crisis of the Nigerian state. »
The executive director stressed the need for citizens to demand for their right to water by making their voices heard.
He said that there was the need for non-state actors to desist from infringement on the rights of citizens, especially the poor and excluded.
On privatisaion of water utilities, Igbuzor said that research had shown that it would lead to high social inequality and the weakening of democratic governance and citizen ownership to water.
« It is well documented that privatisation of public services increase the utilisation of the middle class and the upper class, while access to the poor and excluded will be decreased.
« It has proven that whenever there is water privatisation, the cost of water services increase because private firms charge full costs and must pay taxes to earn a profit. »
Igbuzor therefore called for re-inventing of public water supply backed with adequate budgetary allocation, good plans and policies to promote public-private participation.
