Sanwo-Olu promises reforms in water sector

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday reiterated his administration’s commitment to intensifying reforms in the sustainable water sector to ensure Lagos derives maximum value and opportunities from its water resources.

Sanwo-Olu stated this during the launch and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Lagos Water Partnership with Resilient Water Accelerator held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.

According to a statement by the state Ministry of Environment spokesman, Kunle Adeshina, the governor said the water resources sector is facing challenges worldwide, compounded by the impact of climate change.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said his administration was committed to creating a water safe city that would guarantee access to clean water to all residents.

“Our actions include upgrading water supply facilities, removing blockages in wetlands and channels to reduce the risk of flooding, and increasing the resilience of our coastal communities to the impacts of climate change,” he said.

He added that the state needed significant investments to achieve the set goals, stressing that for this reason the private sector played a key role in complementing the efforts of the public sector.

Sanwo-Olu said the launch of the Lagos Water Partnership was timely, stating that the platform would lead the development and implementation of an investment vision for water security in Lagos, and would bring together key public and private stakeholders to plan, reflect and drive progress.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said earlier in his speech that the sector continues to be a focus for government investment and development efforts.