|
untitled
Last Updated: Monday, November 15th, 2004 HOME | Previous Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lagos: new law on water takes off
By Lekan Sanni
Correspondent, Lagos
Effective from today, a new law guiding the water sector becomes operational in Lagos, even as about $2.5 billion
is required between now and 2020 to meet a projected 2,000 million litres water demand per day.
The new law, passed by the House of Assembly and already accented to by the governor establishes a Lagos Water
Corporation, the governing board, a regulatory commission, and six subsidiaries.
It also provides for the imposition of fines ranging between N10,000 to N5 million for offences ranging from vandalisation
of pipe network, illegal connection of pipes and dumping of chemicals, petroleum products or prohibited substance
into drains.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Sunday, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the
Lagos Water Corporation, Mr. Olumuyiwa Coker, said that peculiarities and complexities of the state were taken
into consideration for the privatisation exercise.
�Our adopted privatisation model (the Lagos model), which is home grown will help mobilise substantial private
sector funds to provide safe drinking water in sufficient and regular quantities for the majority of our people
at affordable cost�, he said. Nigerians are expected to participate in the scheme, alongside international investors
and operators, according to Coker, who also disclosed that the water sector has been unbundled into twelve supply
and distribution districts.
The corporation, he added, now has six subsidiaries. They are LSWC Water Utilities Limited; LSWC Property and General
Services Company Limited, LSWC Information Technology and Telecommunications Company Limited, LSWC Training and
Technical Research Centre and LSWC Power Generation Company Limited.
Coker noted the privatising the water sector became inevitable because government alone cannot meet the cost of
providing water.
The 74 million gallons per day inherited in1999 has increased to160 �5 million gallons, he said.
Even at that, the present water supply level can only meet the 40 per cent of total water demand in the stat e.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright? 2004. All Rights Reserved.
Independent Newspapers Limited
Block5, Plot 7D, Wempco Road, Ogba, P.M.B. 21777, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria.
www.independentng.com
e-mail: [email protected]
|
|
