General
Expert Urges Lagos to Tackle Water Crisis
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A passionate appeal has gone to the Lagos State government to look into the water crisis in the city in 2017.
Making this appeal, a United Nations expert, Mr Léo Heller, said the government must ensure the 2017 budget improves funding for water and sanitation access for the estimated 21 million residents.
“Government reports indicate alarmingly high deficits in the sector, representing clearly unacceptable conditions for millions of the megacity’s residents,” said Mr Heller. “The discussion of the annual budget is a great opportunity for the city to take steps towards delivering people their rights to water and sanitation.
“It is profoundly worrying how many millions of people are exposed to this level of vulnerability,” he stressed. “There is no question that the city’s water and sanitation sector has deteriorated to this point because of the way it has been managed for many years.”
Mr Heller urged the government to consider alternatives such as boosting the effectiveness of the public service provider, including by adopting appropriate financing schemes and responsibly reducing water losses.
“For more than a decade, the Government has adopted a hard-line policy according to which the solution would seem to only attract private capital, notably via public-private partnerships (PPPs). Numerous civil society groups have urged the Government to guarantee their right to participate in these processes,” the Special Rapporteur said.
“I believe that a participatory process is key to finding an adequate solution. But the alternatives proposed by civil society are not given meaningful consideration, while negotiations to initiate PPPs between public authorities and private investors have reportedly occurred in secret,” he noted.
Lagos continues to grow and residents’ access to water and sanitation is worsening. Current estimates suggest that only 10% of the population has access to water supplied by the state utility, LSWC.
Many residents desperate for water now resort to drilling their own boreholes, but this practice has grave environmental and health consequences, especially when the holes are dug near soakaways that could contaminate the water.
Others have to pay exorbitant prices to private vendors, who are often unregulated and provide water with no safety guarantees.
Earlier this year, the Special Rapporteur contacted the government of Nigeria to ask clarification about the water and sanitation situation in Lagos and had not received a response thus far.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Some stakeholders in Oyo State, including the state government, have called for a speedy passage of the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, submitting that it would ensure accountability and transparency in governance.
At a stakeholder engagement meeting on the National Digital Economy and eGovernance Bill in Ibadan on Tuesday, participants agreed that the e-governance bill would smoothen government activities and boost government-citizen engagement.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Olatunbosun Tijani, appealed to Nigerians to give the bill the needed support for passage.
Mr Tinubu, speaking at the event through Banke Ajagunna, noted that the importance of the bill cannot be underestimated as it will enhance the digital economy and build trust between the government and the people.
According to him, the consultative engagement is going on in all the states of the federation to seek the input of stakeholders on the bill, and submitting it is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.
This bill, according to him, aims to drive economic growth through digital technology, improve public service delivery, and create a competitive environment for the Nigerian digital economy.
He noted that in a bid to migrate Nigeria into a smart country, the federal government through his ministry proposed the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill.
The Minister said the bill offers numerous opportunities for businesses to innovate and expand, with improved digital infrastructure and a supportive regulatory environment. Individuals will also benefit from improved access to digital services and better governance through e-governance initiatives.
He highlighted the advantages of the E-governance bill to include Economic Transformation and Establishment of a regulatory foundation to encourage digital commerce, cross-border trade, and innovation, positioning Nigeria as a major player in Africa’s digital landscape.
“It will facilitate the digital transformation of government services to make them more transparent, accessible, and responsive to citizens,” Mr Tijani stated.
He also said the bill will ensure Digital Access for All, saying, “it will promote infrastructure and digital literacy programs to make digital services accessible across Nigeria, including underserved regions.”
Speaking earlier, the Senior Special Assistant on ICT and E-Governance to the Governor, Mr Bayo Akande hailed the federal government’s National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill.
Mr Akande, who observed that the nation is overdue for a digital economy, which is the order of the day, added that this bill will drive economic growth through digital technology.
“Despite advances in technology, Nigeria’s digital economy faces critical challenges, Nigeria lags behind countries with robust e-governance frameworks that empower citizens and protect consumer data. Without intervention, Nigeria risks losing economic opportunities in an increasingly digital world,” he stated.
“Though Oyo has already started to introduce digital methods in the governance space of the state, as the state recently deployed Business Process Automation, in a bid to make Oyo state government services go paperless, the bill is a step in the right direction,” the aide to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State noted.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has affirmed Mr Lookman Abiodun Jagun as the leader of the party in Ogun State.
Mr Jagun was appointed as the leader of the Caretaker Committee for Ogun State chapter of the opposition party by its highest organ, the National Executive Committee (NEC).
In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, it was emphasised that any other group parading itself as the leadership organ of the party in Ogun State was not recognised by the national leadership.
There has been a group known as the Interim Executive Committee (IEC) of the Labour Party claiming to be in charge of the party in the state.
But Labour Party stated that this group is not known to it as “the Interim Executive Committee is an aberration and it is unknown to both the constitution of the Labour Party and the national leadership of the party.”
The Labour Party has a structure and a valid constitution that governs its operations and all members are expected to abide by the party’s constitution.
“The party does not permit or encourages members to arrogate powers and functions to themselves, without recourse to the constitution or the national leadership.
“Faithful party men and women in Ogun state are advised to be wary of the antics and activities of the self-styled IEC, as they do not enjoy the support or validation of the National Leadership of the Labour Party.
“We also urge every member and intending members to subject themselves to the ongoing e-membership registration and revalidation exercise to be able to participate in the activities of the party, including the congresses that will commence in February 2025 across the nation,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu will embark on a state visit to France on Wednesday and stay in the European country for the next three days in honour of an invitation from President Emmanuel Macron.
The presidency disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
The statement said President Tinubu will “be received on Thursday at the 350-year-old French military museum, Les Invalides and Palais de l’Élysée, by Mr Macron and his spouse, Brigitte, for initial ceremonies that will dovetail into bilateral meetings.”
“The Nigerian leader’s three-day visit, which will focus on strengthening political, economic, and cultural relations and establishing more opportunities for partnership, particularly in agriculture, security, education, health, youth engagement and employment, innovation, and energy transition, promises significant benefits for Nigeria,” the statement said.
“Both leaders will participate in political and diplomatic meetings highlighting shared values on finance, solid minerals, trade and investments, and communication. They will also witness a session by the France-Nigeria Business Council, which oversees private sector participation in economic development.
“Brigitte and Nigeria’s First Lady will discuss the latter’s passion for empowering women, children, and the most vulnerable through the Renewed Hope Initiative,” it added.
The President will travel for the visit with his wife, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, and other senior government officials. They will be hosted at a state dinner by the French leader before their departure.
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