Civil society organisations (CSOs) have tasked the governments at various levels with ensuring sustainable public funding for the water sector.

The stakeholders made the call in separate interviews with journalists on Saturday in Abuja on the occasion of World Water Day.

They urged governments to suspend privatisation of the sector and focus on strengthening public water infrastructure through political commitment.

Philip Jakpor, executive director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), attributed the sector’s decline to the drive for privatisation.

“As we mark the world water day, we are calling on the government to look at sustainable public funding for  water .

“The quest for privatisation is the reason why we have decay in the water infrastructure across the country,” he said.

Mr Jakpor decried that in spite of budgetary allocations to the sector, its productivity remained poor with many Nigerians in urban areas lacking access to water, not to mention those in rural areas.

“The government can reprioritise because water privatisation has failed in other parts of the world. We shouldn’t experiment with this dangerous venture.

“We should concentrate on ensuring that the funds voted for each year, are used for their intended purpose.

“I am sure if we do that, we will be able to address our water challenges,” he said.

Similarly, Chima Williams, executive director of the Environmental Defenders Network, argued that water privatisation, in spite of Nigeria’s vast water resources, has made access more challenging for the people.

“Once you privatise water or air, you make life difficult for the people because access to water becomes a challenge.

“And how many of our people, especially those in rural areas, can afford to pay for water?” he lamented.

According to him, personal interests are also hindering  operations of public water services, alleging that some government officials are sabotaging efforts to revive the sector for personal gain.

“At times, the personal interests of those in government, who are supposed to ensure the sector’s functionality, are also in business of making the sector not to work so that their business can thrive.

“The funds have been allocated and should be used to restore the ailing water sector. Let the taps flow again. Let Nigerians regain their lives,” he said.

Mr Williams described the provision of potable water as a constitutional obligation of governments to ensure citizens enjoy dividends of democracy.

He referenced a recent report on Nigeria’s water situation by some water justice organisations, including his CSO, which revealed that most major waterworks were providing inconsistent services and operating below their installed capacity.

He urged the government to act swiftly to prevent further deterioration of the sector.

The World Water Day has been marked annually on March 22 since 1993 to raise awareness on the importance of freshwater and promote its sustainable management.

The day also serves as a call to action to address the global water crisis and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six, which aims to ensure water and sanitation for all by 2030.

(NAN)