Saturday Champion: Lagos set to increase water supply

Recently, a Lagos-based newspaper reported that the Governor Fashiola has announced that the state will generate an additional 30 million gallons of water daily from 15 micro waterworks around the State. The article, posted at the Champion Newspapers website on July 31, 2008 (see http://www.champion-newspapers.com) is very positive about expanding the water resources of the state. The announcement is quite a contrast to a very small article buried in the middle of a the Business Day newspaper on Feburary 11, 2008, when I was recently in Nigeria, announcing that all public water taps would be shut down along with an aggressive expansion of metered water connections. Of course the shut-offs are in the most poverty stricken areas facing the worst in terms of basic amenities and environmental living conditions. We can hope that this expansion of water supply will be channeled to those most in need. Activists in country, especially NGOs part of the National Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) will be working hard to make that promise a reality.