Dare Babalola
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has strongly criticised the Lagos State Government’s decision to introduce a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the water sector, describing the move as a betrayal of residents’ right to safe, affordable, and publicly managed water.
CAPPA, in a statement issued on its social media accounts on Wednesday dismissed the recent advocacy workshop convened by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) as a “sham public relations exercise,” arguing that the government had already issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) before consulting with residents.
The group expressed concerns that the plan would reduce water to a financial asset, securitised for the comfort of investors, rather than recognising it as a human right.
CAPPA noted that successive Lagos administrations have attempted to privatize essential services, shifting the burden of cost and access onto residents.
The group said, “What was presented as a stakeholder engagement forum took place only after the government had already issued a Request for Proposals (RFP CAPPA Rejects Lagos Water PPP Plan, Calls Move ‘Anti-People’”.
According to CAPPA, genuine consultation must come before major investment commitments are made, and the Lagos State Government’s approach demonstrates contempt for accountability and treats residents as afterthoughts.
