Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for a regulatory framework that promotes efficiency in order to attain a desirable level of sanitation and hygiene in Lagos.
According to him, this can be achieved through innovation driven by technology and a well-designed framework that encourages private sector participation.
Sanwo-Olu made the call at the 4th Lagos International Water Conference, themed, ‘Accelerating Sanitation and Hygiene in a Mega City: Regulation and Innovation 2023″, on Wednesday.
The governor who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing access to potable water and improving hygiene, stressing that they are fundamental to human survival.
“The provision of easy access to safe water and hygiene is a fundamental human right and it falls within the welfare policy for the state”.
“Therefore, we are committed to improving access to clean water and sanitation on four initiatives which include; the provision of public toilets and bathrooms in each local government area.
“Construction of community wastewater treatment plants, developing integrated waste management system, expanding and protecting water sources to improve the city’s water supply,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said the megacity status of the state and the pace at which the population was growing underscored the urgent need to promote and facilitate efficiency in the water sector as well as guarantee its financial viability.
He added that there was an urgent need for the government to work meticulously in administering the resources and facilities needed by the huge population to be productive most especially in the area of sanitation.
In a bid to improve water security and investment opportunities in the state, the governor also noted that since the inception of LIWAC in 2020, his administration had sought to reposition water governance and regulatory dispensation.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Didi Walson-Jack, said that water, sanitation and hygiene are essential pillars for any community’s overall well-being and development.
According to her, concerted efforts must be made to address the challenges posed by the increasing demand for clean water and proper sanitation infrastructure.
She, therefore, called for partnerships, collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders, adding that this was vital in overcoming safe water, sanitation and hygiene challenges.
