The Lagos State government in collaboration with WaterAid Plan and private operators are collaborating to build 350 more public toilets across the state in order curb widespread open defecation and maintain hygiene and sanitation.
This is just as the state WaterAid team lead gave a projection that by 2028, the organisation would reach 10 million residents directly and another 17 million indirectly through interventions with basic Water Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, access.
Speaking during a media round table in collaboration with WaterAid and the state government over the weekend, the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu said work had started on some of the toilets including identifying the locations for them.
He stated that the state government would adopt the three – way approach in tackling the issue of open defecation, which is to put infrastructure in place, engage in massive advocacy and lastly undertake enforcement drive in order to ensure that everyone embraces the use of public toilets.
The Special Adviser expressed appreciation to WaterAid for collaborating with the state government in its effort to ensure that Lagosians have access to clean water, decent toilets and proper hygiene practices on a continuous basis.
He said the government was aware that the provision of more public toilets would help reduce government and individual expenditure on treatment of diseases thereby making more money available for other economic uses, stressing that the little delay being experienced was to put in place alternative water supply instead of drilling of borehole.
READ ALSO: How I escaped with wife, child, but lost mechanic, car to Otedola Bridge tanker fire
He said the government ordinarily did not support the drilling of borehole at homes, organisations, religious homes for so many reasons and was working on providing the right alternative, which was the provision of potable water through the Lagos Water Corporation.
“Borehole drilling is not something we are proud of and it is something we are eager to run away from. Thankfully, wee have gone on a working visit with Mr. Governor and the media team to Adiyan Water works where the state will soon start generating a combined capacity of not less than 100 million gallons of pipe borne water daily;
The people can testify to the meaningful efforts of the state, to see that water becomes something that is available to everyone in Lagos State,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, noted that it had been observed that most homes / organisations were using the water provided by Lagos State Water Corporation without paying for it, saying that had resulted to the government bailing out water corporation facilities over the years but the state would find a way to sustainably engage them.
According to him, “We have the biggest corporation to supply water. That is why we have various regulatory agencies that will address the issue of tariff setting. Infact, there have been a lot of applications for people to come in, but the regulatory commission is working on it. I will like to say that provision of potable water by the government has never been for profit making.”
He mentioned that residents must know that provision of pipe borne water was never going to be free going forward, adding that government did not expect private organisations / individuals to invest in water supply and residents get it for free hence conversations were still going on as regards the tariff setting.
“It is a major project that we have invited partners to also invest in; you can imagine our partners investing around 800 million Naira, you must know that the state is also spending billions of Naira,” he said
He stated that regarding access issues that there had been a lot of unaccounted water, saying that was one of the issues Water Corporation encounters because people deliberately found it comfortable tapping potable water, a situation which had negative effect on the corporation.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji, said government was working to provide water for the entire state and not just a particular region.
He added that that was the reason massive rehabilitation was ongoing in all the major water works, mini water works as well as the micro water works in the state.
Earlier, in his presentation, the State Programme Lead, WaterAid Lagos Office, Dr. Adebayo Alao, said WaterAid had contributed towards developing models and strengthening institutional capacities for enhanced sector governance and performance while working with other key sectors to integrate water, sanitation and hygiene into their development plans and priorities.
He mentioned that Kimberly Clark donated 1 million USD from July 2021 to March 2025 to target 45,000 lactating women, adolescent girls and other persons with the aim of improving hygiene behaviours among vulnerable populations.
