Lagos State Govt denies privatising water supply

The Lagos State Government said that it had yet to privatise water supply or award any water privatisation contract.

The Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Mr Muminu Badmus, made the clarification in a statement in Lagos.

He reacted to media reports claiming that the state government awarded a water privatisation contract to a discredited company.

Badmus said that the Public/Private/Partnership (PPP) model being initiated by the government in the water sector was still at the bidding stage.

According to him, the reports are pre-emptive as the government has only shortlisted a number of reputable companies, none of which is yet to have the contract.

“The Lagos Water Corporation has publicly advertised an Expression of Interest (EOI), which attracted seven local and international firms.

“Four firms have been shortlisted following a rigorous and transparent process,’’ he said.

Badmus said that the government would continue to work in the interest of the state residents.

According to him, the government has invested in water facilities as evidenced by the increase in water supply to 220 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to bridge a supply gap.

Badmus said that exponential increase in the state’s population had continued to push the water supply need of Lagos State to 570MGD, indication a gap of over 300MGD.

“Globally, attention is being shifted to the PPP arrangement to provide infrastructure for the people, as government can no longer shoulder the responsibility alone,’’ he said.

The managing director said that the government was planning an arrangement that would ensure injection of both public and private funds and expertise to drive seamless provision of potable water to the teeming population.

He said that Lagos residents would be satisfied with the outcome of the arrangement which, he said, would evolve an effective and enduring solution to water problems in the state.

Badmus hoped that the process would also bring about a model for Nigeria and the entire West Africa.