To ensure potable and safe water supply, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched an intervention programme in Lagos, which will promote operational reforms, infrastructure improvements and institutional capacity building.
Known as Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation and Health (LUWASH), the project would focus on improving the financial and technical capabilities, as well as governance of the WASH sector. This will include but is not limited to utilities, private sector providers and institutions tasked with monitoring and enforcement of regulations.
It will also expand and improve urban water and sanitation service delivery to the large number of unserved and underserved households residing in Lagos, as well as in the WASH sector.
The programme, estimated to gulp $45 million, would work closely with the Lagos State government to address the enormous need for urban WASH services.
Also the project LUWASH would enable service providers to raise the quality of services for their customers; facilitate services-driven economic performance; improve state finances by increasing cost recovery; and increase the sector’s capacity to sustainably serve all customers.
USAID, through the scheme, is targeting improved performance and regulation of water vendors, which would result in improved consistency and reliability of the delivery of potable water, as well as reduced non-revenue water (especially the billing and commercial side) by at least 50 per cent.
The fund will support rehabilitation of some critical infrastructure to improve the availability and access of water and services in low-income communities, rehabilitate existing systems and install local maintenance capacity to increase infrastructure durability.
The USAID Nigeria WASH team lead, Dr. Joachim Ezeji, made the disclosure during a visit to the Lagos Water Corporation, Managing Director/CEO, Muminu Badmus during revitalisation of the safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Ijora, Lagos. He said that the USAID and the Lagos State Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve access to safe WASH services.
While enumerating the objectives of the project, Ezeji stated that the project would improve water services in Lagos, revamp water infrastructure, transform the corporation and provide governance regulation.
Ezeji added that Lagos has all ingredients to succeed, as there is presence of Manpower, Resourceful administration and political will, amongst others. He, however, sought everyone’s cooperation as far as success is concerned. “USAID is ready to give direction through a capable and committed team”.
