Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, reiterated his administration’s commitment to intensify sustainable water sector reform solutions to ensure that Lagos can provide maximum value and opportunities through its water resources.
He stated this at the official inauguration and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the Lagos Water Partnership with Resilient Water Accelerator held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, adding that across the globe, the water resources sector is facing challenges amplified by the impact of climate change.
Sanwo-Olu, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin added that the present administration is committed to achieving a water-safe city that guarantees access to clean water for all residents.
“Our efforts include revamping water delivery facilities, clearing of blockades from Wetlands and Canals to mitigate flood risk and enhancing the resilience of our coastal communities against climate impacts”, he said.
Mr. Governor averred that the State needs substantial investment to achieve the set goals, stressing that this is the reason the private sector plays a crucial role in complementing the public sector efforts. He explained that the creation of the Lagos Water Partnership is timely as the platform would spearhead the development and execution of an investment vision for water security in Lagos as well as uniting key public and private stakeholders to plan, reflect and stimulate progress.
According to him, the partnership is tasked with building an evidence-based plan, developing targeted capacity and establishing systems to attract large-scale investments as well as serving as a consultative platform linking private sector actors with government and policy-making stakeholders amongst others.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab stated that the sector remained a focus of the Lagos State Government’s investment and development efforts. He said Lagos exemplifies the strategic approach as a city authorities globally often face resource constraints in addressing urban needs, making partnerships, collaborations and alliances for drawing resources and providing vital city services.
While noting that the aforementioned forward-thinking initiative attracted the Resilient Water Accelerator (RWA), which is now collaborating with the Ministry to form the Lagos Water Partnership (LWP), he stressed that the Partnership aligns perfectly with the Lagos State Government’s vision of improving the environmental and water resources management.
Wahab emphasised that the Lagos Water Partnership aims to create and implement a robust investment environment sector by channelling private investment to complement public resources and uniting key stakeholders from both sectors
“To support our efforts in transforming the environment and water resources sector, the Ministry has created an enabling environment to attract partners and build strategic alliances”, he stated.
