A two-day workshop on transparency, accountability and inclusive participatory budgeting is underway in Ikeja for Lagos state actors in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, sector.
The workshop which brought together stakeholders from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Lagos government and the Media was organized by an NGO, WaterAid Nigeria.
In a welcome address, the WaterAid Nigeria Lagos Office Team lead, Dr Alao Adebayo, said the objective was to ensure WASH policy is given priority as the process for next year’s budget begins.
Dr Alao who was represented by Mr Elijah Ochimana, advocated increased budgetary allocation to the sector to end open defecation, provide safe and accessible water supply to all residents and ensure improved sanitation to ensure optimal well being of Lagos residents.
“We don’t want this to be a talking activities but to go back and contribute for reforms in the WASH sector, together we can make a change to keep our environment safe, have access to safe and clean water as well as improved sanitation and hygiene.”
The Guest Speaker, Mr Ayo Adebusoye who is the chairman of Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development said Lagos need to allocate one billion naira annually to WASH for hygiene education as well as increased funding at the local government level to meet the SDG goal 6 of ending open Defecation by 2030.
“According to data, 13% Nigerian with access to safely managed water supply (26 million with access to safely managed services) 18% Nigerian with access to safely managed sanitation services
(36 million with access to safely managed services).
23% of the Nigerian population practices open defecation (48 million). 99% of Nigerians have knowledge of handwashing with soap at at least 3 critical times, only 17% actually practice handwashing at those times. Nigeria needs an estimate of $10 billion annually to achieve universal
access to basic services by 2030″
The workshop which will end tomorrow has over thirty participants from the Lagos Ministries of the Environment and Water Resources, Local Government, Chieftancy Affairs and Rural Development, Budget and Economic planning, LAWMA, Water Corporation and the Media.
Reporting by Yemisi Dada