1.      A Water and Sanitation Training of Trainers workshop was recently held in Nepal with the participation of some Nigerian NGOs. Download the workshop summary in the link below: http://www.assemblyonline.info/water/3/nepal.ppt

2.      UNESCO-Institute for Water Education (IHE) offers high quality online courses in topics of high interest in the water sector. For details visit www.unesco-ihe.org/online-courses

3.      The UNDP has introduced a new programme targeted at strengthening water governance of the water and sanitation sectors at appropriate levels.  For more information on  GoAl WaSH contact AlastairMorrisson, Goal WaSH Coordinator at the UNDP water governance facility at SIWI at alastair.morrison@...

4.      World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach programme aimed at building public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of local water bodies. To participate in this years World Water Monitoring Day, visit www.worldwatermonitoringday.org

5.      There are important links between sustainable sanitation, climatic change and renewable energy production. For example, sanitation systems can be designed in a way to produce renewable energy sources which in turn may mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse emissions. Sanitation systems may also serve to help people adapt to climate change by reusing energy, nutrients and treated wastewater and thus substituting the use of primary sources. The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance www.susana.org     is a new international network addressing these concerns

6.      The Critical Ecosystem Fund provides grants for NGOs and private sector organisations to help protect biodiversity spots. To apply for the grants, visit www.cepf.net

7.      The World Water Week was recently held in Stockholm Sweden. The organisers have uploaded all the presentations, videos and reports to the conference web site www.siwi.org

8.      Ceren Burcak Dag Nisantasi of Turkey won the 2009 Stockholm Junior water prize, but Team Nigeria was not among the finalists. According to the Project Manager of the competition, Helene Brinkenfeldt Team Nigeria was disqualified from participating for allegedly fielding over aged participants

9.      To learn about the Human right to water, its contents and obligations, visit http://www.cohre.org/water

10.  The 1^st International Water Association Development Congress on the theme Water and Sanitation services- What works for developing countries holds in Mexico city, November 2009. Register online at www.iwa2009mexico.org

11.  Download the Stockholm message from the World Water Week to COP 15 in the link - http://www.siwi.org/documents/WWW_PDF/Stockholm_Statement_090821.pdf

WASH Alerts is produced by the Bread of Life Development Foundation in partnership with the Water and Sanitation Media Network. Email: blfnigeria@...

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N27.1b required to meet Water MDG target in Osun state

The Osun state Government must expend a total sum of N27.1b over the next five years to rehabilitate and expand its ailing urban water schemes in order to meet Millennium Development Goals target for water supply for urban residents in the state.

This is the major finding of a report of a recent study undertaken by the Bread of Life Development Foundation, a non governmental organization on steps that need to be undertaken to improve the operational performance of the  Osun State Water corporation (OSWC) and  restructuring the public utility for better service delivery

The study which was conducted with the support of the European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme (EU-WSSSRP) State Technical Unit in Osun State has two specific tasks:

1. Review the organisational, financial, commercial and technical structure including PSP assessment of OSWC and make recommendations for improvement as considered appropriate with a view to making its operations more efficient and effective leading to sustainability.

2. Recommend and develop restructuring plan for Osun State Water Corporation to improve efficiency and effectiveness

This study which reviewed the operational performances of the OSWC 14 water schemes discovered that the major problems hindering the effective performance of the OSWC are aged equipments, inadequate funding, and understaffing, poor maintenance culture, lack of basic operational tools, political interference, low tariffs and poor revenue collection.

A copy of the report is attached.

Major recommendations of the 87 page study report are stated below:

1.      The OSWC should be transformed from a public utility to a corporatized water utility.

2.      A new company to be known as Osun State Water Company should replaced the OSWC

3.      The provision in the OSWC draft law for a 16 member Board makes the Board unwieldy and a big drain on the OSWC resources. The Board of the new Osun state Water Company should have eight members-

a.      A Chairman to serve on a part time basis

b.      The Managing Director to serve as the Board Secretary

c.       The Director in charge of Urban Water Supply in the Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development.

d.      An Engineer or water professional nominated either by the Osun State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.

e.       A representative of the Trade Union overseeing the OSWC staff, to represent workers interest.

f.        Three other persons nominated on geopolitical basis to represent Water Consumers Associations in Osun State                  .

4.      The new Osun State Water Company would determine its staffing needs, and conditions of service not subject to the State Civil Service rules. All positions in the new Osun State Water Company should be advertised and filled from either staff from the existing OSWC, or suitably qualified members of the public. Present staff of the OSWC that cannot fit into the new Osun State Water Company should have the services transferred to the Osun State Civil Service.

5.      The new Osun State Water Company should enter into Public –Public- Partnerships with Lagos Water Corporation Training School, Kaduna State Water Board Training School for the training and retraining of its staff.

6.      The new Osun State Water Company should enter into Public –Public- Partnerships with well performing Water Utilities in Africa such as Ugandan National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC),Rand Water, South Africa, Kaduna State Water Board for study and exchange programmes for its staff.

7.      The new Osun State Water Company should sponsor its staff for training programmes in urban water supply and management issues in nationally and internationally recognized institutions such as the National Water Resource Institute Kaduna, and the Loughborough University in United Kingdom.

8.      Government should have a steady working arrangement with Power Holding Company of Nigeria to regularly maintain existing power line to all water works.

9.      The new Osun State Water Company should  establish a Customer Service Centre

10.  The sum of N27.1b has to be expended to rehabilitate and expand the operations of            the OSWC over the next five years in order to increase access to water by citizens of             the state in the context of the Millennium Development Goals.

a.      The population of Osun state according to 2006 census was 3,423,525 with a projected      increase at 2.99% or 3% per annum

b.      Projected access to water as per Osun state water and sanitation reform policy 2008 is about 4 % per annum.

c.       Projected investment cost on water as per our projected expansion plan is N15.960 billion or inflation adjusted cost of N27.113 billion.

d.      As, projected, the financial investment cost per person being served with water will cost an average of N3, 000 per annum.

11.  In a nutshell, the total sum of N27.1b have to be massively injected into the OSWC by the Osun State Government in form of subventions over the next five years, after which the Osun State Water Company will be expected to be self sustaining,  with powers to draw up its budget, source for finances, award contracts, operate a policy of Sustainable cost     recovery of in the minimum operating and maintenance cost, fix tariff with the approval         of the proposed Osun State Water Regulatory Board, as well as the powers to determine         non civil service based employee compensation, including salaries and benefits. Any financial contribution by the Osun State Government after 2012, will be treated as either grants or repayable loans.

12.  Between 2009-2012, the OSWC should have full control over its Internally Generated Revenues; with the approval of its Board, it should utilize 50% of the revenue collected dedicated for its Operation and Maintenance costs, and the remaining 50% reserved for capital projects

13.  The OSWC should implement a Community Education and Enlightenment Programme (CEEP) to ensure public participation in its activities. This involves:

14.  Private firms should be contracted to maintain the OSWC production facilities, and service lines under a service contract, as OSWC presently lacks the technical personnel to undertake this assignment.

15.  The OSWC should also go into partnership with the private sector for set up of Independent Power Plant (IPP) and production of energy to boost productions.

16.  Performance Indicators and target should be adopted by the OSWC for the purposes of monitoring and evaluating its level of service delivery.

17.  The present water tariff of the OSWC was fixed in January 1997, and has not been reviewed since. Obviously this needs to be reviewed in line with inflationary trends and economic realities.

18.  The present water tariff of the OSWC is presently considered too low and the management of the Osun State Water Company should after necessary public consultation increase its  water tariff by 50% for domestic consumers living in Bungalows, community stand pipes and Government owned primary schools, while it should be increased by 100% for other categories of users

19.  The management of the Osun State Water Company should appoint a consultancy firm to:

a.      Enumerate all household water connections in the state and affix tags on the premises of such households.

b.      Enumerate all stand pipes in the state and through Global Positioning System generate maps on the locations of such stand pipes.

c.       Enumerate all metered connections in the state and affix tags on the premises of such metered connections

d.      Enumerate all commercial and industrial water users in the state.

e.       Conduct a water supply poverty mapping of Osun state, determining affordability and willingness to pay in the process.

f.        Determine the no of functional stand  pipes in all communities within each Local Government within the State.

20.  The Computer Unit of the Osun State Water Company should be saddled with the tasks of bill generation, through the following measures:

a.      Updating credit posting on payment

b.      Accommodation new consumers into the system

c.       Adjustments to consumers file

d.      Categories of customers to different billing regimes with a view to adopting monthly billing for areas connected on rising main

21.  Thirty firms drawn from the Water Consumer Associations or the private sector should be appointed (based on performance contracts) for each of the 46 no commercial offices to distribute water bills and enforce payment of water tariffs by water consumers.

22.  All water tariffs should henceforth be paid directly into designated banks by water consumers.

23.  The 46 WCAs/private firms appointed to distribute water tariffs will be paid not more than 20% commissions of revenues derived from tariffs collected through the Banks in each of the commercial offices.

24.  Private firms should be appointed (based on service  contracts) for each of the 30 no commercial offices to distribute water development levy bills of N1,500 and enforce

25.   A comprehensive staff appraisal should be carried out for OSWC. This way, the functions and roles of each position in the departments can be mapped to the number, qualifications and experience of staff required.

26.  A training needs assessment should be carried out for staff of OSWC and this should be instituted in order to develop workable capacity development programme for each cadre of staff.

27.  On the job training, exchange programmes with well performing water utilities in the country, study tours and short subject specific capacity building courses should be promoted to enhance the capacity of OSWC`s staff.

28.  Staff of the corporation should be exposed to modern trends in the operation and management of water supply schemes.

29.  Staff rationalization where necessary in order to strengthen zonal offices and Commercial offices that are viable for revenue generation.

30.  Leak Detection system should be established to monitor the service and distribution system against vandalisation

31.  To address the issue of aged plant and equipment, a thorough inventory of the water schemes should be carried out so that the status of the plants and equipment can be determined and recommendations made for their refurbishment or replacement

32.  Domestic customers should be classified into rural and urban customers while those in the cities can also be classified into low, medium and high density customers with differing tariff rates.

Babatope Babalobi

April 18, 2008

COMMUNIQUE ADOPTED AT THE SOUTH WEST ZONAL WORKSHOP ON NIGERIA’S PROGRESS TOWARDS MEETING THE MDG TARGETS ON WATER AND SANITATION

ORGANIZED BY THE

 WATER AND SANITATION MONITORING PLATFORM, NIGERIA,

LAFIA HOTEL, IBADAN ON THURSDAY 27^TH NOVEMBER 2008

A one day workshop to access Nigeria’s progress towards the achievement of the MDG targets on improved water and improved sanitation facilities by the year 2015, was held in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, Nigeria on November 27, 2008.

The event organized by the Water and Sanitation Monitoring Platform, a project funded by the European Union Water Facility; and it was attended by several civil society organizations including the Bread of Life Development Foundation, Civil Liberties Organisation, Nigerian Union of Teachers, and Nigerian Union of Journalists.

Participants noted that government failure to achieve this progress is based on the following:

Ø  Poor funding

Ø  Non prioritization of government projects

Ø  Ignorance on the parts of government and citizens

Ø  Lack of maintenance culture

Ø  Lack of monitoring of implementation

Ø  Absence of community participation

Ø  Lack of oversight function by legislators

Ø  Absence of monitoring of implementation of budget on water and sanitation

Ø  Lack of education and enlightenment

Ø  Lack of continuity and government policy

Ø  Corruption

In view of the forgoing, the workshop urges the federal government to:

1.                  Put mechanisms in motion to make the anticorruption agencies independent in appointments, funding and operation

2.                  To establish the offices of these agencies in the zones states and LGAs in the country

3.                  To provide adequate funding for water and sanitation in the appropriation budgets

4.                  To put mechanism in motion to ensure adequate monitoring of the implementation of budgets on water and sanitation

5.                  To ensure popular participation target on water track

6.                  De-merging/separating water resources from ministry of agriculture

7.                  Legislatures all tiers of government should play their oversight functions in monitoring the expenditure of the budget on WATSAN

8.                  That should encourage the maintenance of WATSAN activities

9.                  That should encourage the maintenance of WATSAN activities

10.              The workshop, after evaluating the good work of WSMP Nigeria, enjoins to:

a.       Embark on more civic education and media campaigns to sensitize both the government and the citizens on the MDG targets on WATSAN by 2015

b.      Encourage stakeholders on WATSAN in Nigeria to independently monitor the implementation of budgets on water and sanitation by building their capacity.

Furthermore, it is observed that some states in the South West are performing better right now.

Finally, the workshop expresses its thankfulness and gratitude to the platform for organizing the South West stakeholders meeting and calls for further collaborations.

Members of Communiqué Drafting Committee

1.         Comrade (Chief) Sam Idowu             Chairman, Ogun State Wing, NUT

2.         Mrs. Sokoya Folake                                       

            (Representative of NUJ, Ogun State)

3.         Mr. Adebisi Jimson Kehinde                          -

            (Ondo State WATSAN Project, Akure)

4.         Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike                       

            (Ag. Executive Director, CLO)

If you will be attending the World Water Week, the Bread of Life Development Foundation will be making a Poster presentation on the topic: 'Need for National Governments to adopt a Policy on WASH in Schools for Improved Child' at the Workshop on Preventive Action for Human Health.

Tuesday, August 19, at the World Water Week 2008, Stockholm.

From: Jamillah Mwanjisi <jamillah@...>
Subject: FW: Assesors and Consultants urgently needed for a Governance Project!
To: "'Leo Atakpu'" <ohiroatakpu@...>, "'Bankole Ebisemiju'" <bankoleebisemiju@...>
Date: Wednesday, 6 August, 2008, 8:22 AM

 

 

Jamillah Mwanjisi
Regional Coordinator-ANEW
P.O. Box 58684-00200
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-20-2727107/8

---

From: centre for development support initiatives [mailto:cedsi2000@...]
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 11:33 PM
To: FOIcoalition@yahoogroups.com; Nonstateactors@yahoogroups.com; nsa actors; wale adefarasin; women advocate; eduoa agbaje; wizlanre akinbo; Abiodun Akinkunmi; wardcabiola akiode; Michael Ale; Joseph Amenaghawon; kind amy; wateradeola asabia; Leo Atakpu; ccgwale balogun; jayceesadebayo bashorun; Yemi Cardoso; lmcdaozoude catherine; Yejide Spong CFC; wateraidifeoma charles; business club; cleenendy eberebe; media edet; zccliliane ekeanyanwu; asseed foundation; kola giwa; pro go; water group; crsmark hays; Sarah Hinkfuss; omonefe ikyayere; akande jadesola; ifeanyi jdpc; jdpc jdpcpeters; orode jemide; olu jos; ajayi kadirs; din lagos; centre law; wateraidAdekanla majekodunmi; anew maji; anewjamillah maji; Princewill Mordi; aquafedjack moss; ciro nigeria; WOMEN'S CONSORTIUM OF NIGERIA; lacsotinu ogundipe; chris okpoko; clodayo olaide; chidinma onuoha; seyi oyebisi; aquafedgerard payen; Yemisi Ransome-Kuti; Phillip rotimi; limgetaiwo taiwo; gadeyemo theiet; educare trust; teenchinasa ugoala; dede us; afwasylvain usher; water@...; waterandsanitationsouthwest@yahoogroups.com; metamorphosisbridjet williams; tilumoka women; Mariam Yunusa
Subject: Assesors and Consultants urgently needed for a Governance Project!

 

Hi All,   Hope this meets you all well.   This is a quick note to info rm everyone on the listserve about an opportunity that could interest you all.   CEDSI Nigeria with its partners are running an Excellence in Local Government Project(ELGI) with funding from a development agecy of repute   .In summary,Its key objective is to enhance the governance process at the local level,review performance indicators and utilise basic governance tools and indicators to measure performance of our Local Government Chairmen and Constituencies starting from Rivers State   Currently,in maintaining as fair a process as possible,the partners would wish to invite applications from interested Governnace Consultants in  Local,National and International Organisations  who would serve as INDEPENDENT assessors in this process.   It is expected that a minimum of 2 days training followed by a minimum of 4 days field work starting from the 3rd week of August would serve as the basic timeline,amongst other activities as would be defined in the contract once shortlisted and engaged.   Interested persons should please send in their CV,half page Biodata and a 1page essay on the 'Strageies to enhancing good governance at the local level...roles definition of stakeholders'URGENTLY to cedsi2000@... NOT LATER than the 10th of August 2008!   Non Rivers indigenes,Females and personnel from International agencies but residents in any part of Nigeria are also strongly encouraged to apply.   Please circulate this AS WIDELY as possible as we all mutually seek ways to supporting good governance and sustainable development in our society!   Let's join hands to walk the talk!   Kind regards always,   Mina Ogbanga       Center for Development Support Initiatives(CEDSI Nigeria ) 118 Amadi Abuloma Road By Oando Filling station P.O.Box 7076 Trans Amadi Port-Harcourt Cell:+234-8033402265 Tel(l)-+234-84-488648 and +234=84-571045 url:www.cedsinigeria.org cedsi@... 'Be the change you want to see' --- On Tue, 8/5/08, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre <cislacnationalassembly@...> wrote: From: Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre <cislacnationalassembly@...> Subject: [Nonstateactors] THE LIP SERVICE BY THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION. To: FOIcoalition@yahoogroups.com, Nonstateactors@yahoogroups.com, "nsa actors" <nonstateactors@yahoogroups.com>, "wale adefarasin" <wale.adefarasin@...>, "women advocate" <womenadvocate@...>, "eduoa agbaje" <oagbaje@...>, "wizlanre akinbo" <lanre.akinbo@...>, "Abiodun Akinkunmi" <abbie@...>, "wardcabiola akiode" <abiolaak@...>, "Michael Ale" <projectlife_dignity@...>, "Joseph Amenaghawon" <hosa_2002@...>, "kind amy" <amyoyeks@...>, "wateradeola asabia" <dasabia@...>, "Leo Atakpu" <ohiroatakpu@...>, "ccgwale balogun" <a.pbalogun@...>, "jayceesadebayo bashorun" <bashdream@...>, "Yemi Cardoso" <yemicard@...>, "lmcdaozoude catherine" <catherineraphael@...>, "Yejide Spong CFC" <yejide.spong@...>, "wateraidifeoma charles" <ifeomacharlesmonwuba@...>, "business club" <businessclub_ikeja@...>, "cleenendy eberebe" <endyeberebe@...>, "media edet" <edet@...>, "zccliliane ekeanyanwu" <lilianekeanyanwu@...>, "asseed foundation" <asseed_found04@...>, "kola giwa" <giwakola@...>, "pro go" <proftgo3@...>, "water group" <waterandsanitation@yahoogroups.com>, "crsmark hays" <mhays@...>, "Sarah Hinkfuss" <sarah.hinkfuss@...>, "omonefe ikyayere" <omonefe.ikhayere@...>, "akande jadesola" <jsakande@...>, "ifeanyi jdpc" <ifeanyipeters@...>, "jdpc jdpcpeters" <jdpcarchlag@...>, "orode jemide" <orode2001@...>, "olu jos" <oluajosb@...>, "ajayi kadirs" <ajayikadirs@...>, "din lagos" <dinlagos@...>, "centre law" <centrelaw@...>, "wateraidAdekanla majekodunmi" <adekanlamajekodunmi@...>, "anew maji" <anew@...>, "anewjamillah maji" <jamillah@...>, "Princewill Mordi" <aiesn_african@...>, "aquafedjack moss" <jack.moss@...>, "ciro nigeria" <cironigeria@...>, "WOMEN'S CONSORTIUM OF NIGERIA" <wocon95@...>, "lacsotinu ogundipe" <tinuogundipe@...>, "chris okpoko" <chris.okpoko@...>, "clodayo olaide" <dayo_olaide@...>, "chidinma onuoha" <chidinmaa_onuoha@...>, "seyi oyebisi" <oyebisius@...>, "aquafedgerard payen" <gerard.payen@...>, "Yemisi Ransome-Kuti" <yemisiransomekuti@...>, "Phillip rotimi" <globalcun@...>, "limgetaiwo taiwo" <taiwo.taiwo@...>, "gadeyemo theiet" <gadeyemo@...>, "educare trust" <educaretrust@...>, "teenchinasa ugoala" <munasa@...>, "dede us" <dede75us@...>, "afwasylvain usher" <susher.uade@...>, "water@..." <water@...>, "waterandsanitationsouthwest@yahoogroups.com" <waterandsanitationsouthwest@yahoogroups.com>, "metamorphosisbridjet williams" <jifewilliams@...>, "tilumoka women" <tilumoka@...>, "Mariam Yunusa" <mariam.yunusa@...> Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 11:14 AM THE LIP SERVICE BY THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IN    FIGHTING CORRUPTION       The Board of Trustees and Steering Committee of Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC) on the occasion of their meeting at NANA Suites Hotel Abuja on Friday, 1st & 2nd August, 2008 deliberated on the state of the anti-corruption programme in the country and observe as follows.   Recent events in the country show that the government lacks the political will to fight corruption, as exemplified by the following.   That the cases of the former governors being tried for corruption have been programmed to fail.  This is manifested in the way and manner the officers that investigated the cases and were listed as witnesses have been redeployed from the EFCC and transferred to different parts of the country.   That there is undue interference in the work of the EFCC by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation.  Instances of such interference include the restraining of the EFCC from arresting or arraigning in court some sacred cows like former Governor Lionel Imoke and Jimoh Ibrahim.   C.  That some officers recently posted by the AIG to the EFCC were former security details of some indicted governors and are now holding vital positions in the EFCC.   D. That we are concerned that some former and current public officers who have been indicted for corruption and whose cases have been fully investigated have not been charged to court they include Ex-Governors of Benue, Sokoto and Zamfara states, the former House of representatives speaker, Mrs. Patricia Etteh and the current PDP Chairman Prince Vincent Ogbulafor e.t.c   E. That the presidency refused to intervene in the N625 million Naira renovations scandal on the grounds of independence of the legislature, but the members of the Adamawa House of Assembly were recently summoned to Villa by the president to drop a serious impeachment charges against their Governor Murtala Nyako     2. That we are equally disturbed to note that the leadership of the House of Representatives has not allowed the Committee probing the power sector to present its report to the House and be made public.   3. That contrary to the constitutional separation of powers, members of the National Assembly have usurped executive functions by proposing to execute constituency project of N500 million per senatorial district in the 2008 budget, as a trade off for their oversight functions on the executive.  It is embarrassing that President Yar’Adua succumbed to that illegality notwithstanding his avowed commitment to the rule of law.   4. Though some anti-corruption laws like the Public procurement Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act have been enacted, the government has failed to implement their provisions, which require the inauguration of the Public Procurement Council, A Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the observation and monitoring of all public procurement at the federal level by civil society organizations and professional bodies.     5. We are disturbed to note that the judgments of most election tribunals in the country have eroded the confidence of most Nigerians in the judiciary. We note that there have been at least 82 petitions against the chairmen and members of election tribunals. We call on the National Judicial Council and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to ensure full, fair and expeditious investigation of all such pending petitions, particularly the tribunals that sat in Osun State, Anambra State and one State in the South South where a particular former Chief Justice of Nigeria was fingered for attempting to influence the decision of the Tribunal.   8. In the same breath since some lawyers have been fingered in the alleged attempts to influence the outcome of some election petitions, the Nigerian Bar Association is urged to investigate the allegations.   9. We note with dismay the continued delay of the National Assembly in the consideration and passage of the Freedom of Information bill.  This bill is a citizenship empowerment tool in the fight against corruption.  We call on the National Assembly to expedite passage of the bill into law.     Auwal Musa Rafsanjani                        Chibuzo C Ekwekwuo Chairman                                                  Secretary     Dated this 2nd day of August   2008

 

In the light of this, the WSSSRP State Technical Unit, in Osun State in collaboration with the Ministry of Water resources and Rural Development, Osun State is  organising a One day Sensitisation Workshop to create awareness on  the policy development processes and garner meaningful inputs from stakeholders that will feed into the policy document.

The objectives are:

1.       To create an understanding  among the stakeholders on the importance of the exercise and the tasks to be undertaken by the Bread of Life Dev. Foundation

2.       To mobilise all stakeholders through their various representatives in the water and sanitation sector In the state for the purpose of eliciting their inputs into the water and sanitation policy development

3.       T o agree on best strategies for the workability of the various components of the policy, so the developed policy could gain wide acceptability among the generality of the people and stakeholder groups.

The workshop will hold tomorrow, Tuesday July 29, in Local Government Service Commission, Abere Secretariat, Osogbo by 10 am

As a stakeholder in the water and sanitation sector, I have the pleasure in inviting your organisation to attend and contribute meaningfully to proceedings of this workshop.

Alhaji Oluwatoyin Yussuf

Programme Manager, WSSSRP, Osun State

You can also send in  your inputs through  the Osun State Water Policy and Institutional reform E-conference blog:  http://osunwaterreform.wordpress.com/

Press Statement
EU-WSSSRP COMMISSIONS BREAD OF LIFE TO DEVELOP WATER POLICY AND RESTRUCTURE
WATER AND SANITATION UTILITIES IN OSUN STATE
The European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme (EU-WSSSRP)
acting through its State Technical Unit in Osun State, last week commissioned
the Bread of Life Development Foundation, to carry out a study towards the
development of the Osun State Water Policy and restructuring of the Osun State
Water Corporation (OSWC) and the Osun State Environmental Protection Agency
(OSEPA) to ensure better service delivery. This study is being carried out as part of the European Union funded Water
Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme (WSSSRP) which is aimed at increasing
access to safe, adequate and sustainable water and sanitation services and in
Osun and five other focal states: Anambra, Cross River, Jigawa, Kano, and Yobe
through improved water governance and water and sanitation service delivery in
urban town areas. Towards developing the Osun State Water Policy, the Bread of Life Development
Foundation will carry out desk study on all reports and/or document related to
institutional framework assessment or policy development in the State and
appraise the rationale for Policy development in the State; hold consultative
meetings with relevant stakeholders for the purpose of enlightenment on the
development of a state specific water supply and sanitation policy; extend call
for inputs on key problems and policy issues on WSS in Osun State from all
stakeholders including private sector, water consumer associations, NGOs,
CSOs/CDAs for the purpose of enriching the proposed State Policy; and prepare
draft State WSS policy in line with the State peculiarities in consideration of
provisions in National Water and Sanitation Policies for domestication.
Other activities that will be undertaken by the Bread of Life Development
Foundation as part of the study are the establishment of a mechanism that will
ensure gender mainstreaming and pro-poor focus in Osun State Government¢s
water supply and sanitation policy and facilitate CBO, CSO and NGO
participation and input in the review and development of the present and new
water and sanitation policy respectively; and the review of current and
proposed institutional restructuring plan, legal and regulatory framework to
make sure that they are in line with the provisions of the new State Water and
Sanitation Policy.
As part of this study, the Bread of Life Development Foundation is expected to
review the organizational, financial, commercial and technical structure of the
Water and Sanitation Utilities, (the OSWC and OSEPA); including an assessment of
the roles the private sector can play in financing or delivery water and
sanitation services.
Towards achieving this, the study will review the current organizational,
technical and commercial operations of the Osun State Water Corporation including Human Resources (organization, capacity, prerogatives, gender
equality), operating cost and revenues, management structure, production and
distribution process; propose restructuring options, to enhance efficiency and
effectiveness, for discussion, approval, adoption and finally implementation;
design communication strategy between OSWC, the customers and the private
sector; and determine the means of water distribution and tariff fixing based
on affordability, willingness to pay, ability to pay with reference to pro-poor
policy.
The conduct of the study will be largely based on inputs from Water and
Sanitation sector actors/managers and stakeholders in Osun State; and the Bread
of Life is expected to make recommendations for improvement in Water and
Sanitation service delivery as considered appropriate with a view to making the
operations of the Osun State Water Corporation and the Osun State Environmental
Protection Agency more efficient and effective leading to sustainability.
The Bread of Life Development Foundation has already formed a team of ten
experts headed by Professor Lekan Oyebande, Chair, Technical Committee of the
West African Water Partnership of the Global Water Partnership, to carry out
the study.
Oluwasanmi Falobi
Project Officer, Bread of Life Development Foundation
July 13, 2008
 

The Bread of Life Development Foundation is carrying out a study towards the development of the Osun State Water Policy and restructuring of the Osun State Water Corporation (OSWC) and the Osun State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA)-both in Nigeria to ensure better service delivery.

We are also accessing the roles that can be played by the private sector in the water and sanitation sector in Osun state and make recommendations based on inputs from sector managers and stakeholders.

This study is being carried out as part of the European Union funded Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme (WSSSRP) which is aimed at increasing access to safe, adequate and sustainable water and sanitation services and in Osun and five other focal states: Anambra, Cross River, Jigawa, Kano, and Yobe through improved water governance and water and sanitation service delivery in urban town areas.

Against this background, Bread of Life Development Foundation  is organizing an electronic conference on “Water Policy development and Institutional  reform in Osun State” between Monday July 14 and Friday July 25, 2008.

A blog has been created for this purpose to allow all stakeholders in and outside Osun State to contribute to this e-conference, also offering an opportunity to learn from International experiences and successful best practices of Water policy development and Public Water Utility reform globally.

To participate in the e-conference, access the link

http://osunwaterreform.wordpress.com/

and drop your comments on any of the topics below. Separate pages has been created for the topics below, and all that is required of you is to post your comments under any topic.

Thanks for participating.

Bread of Life Dev. Foundation

 Press Statement
RE: PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF REVISED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESEMENT (EIA) REPORT
ON IJU AND ADIYAN WATERWORKS UNDER THE WORLD BANK FINANCED SECOND NATIONAL
URBAN WATER AND SANITATION REFORM PROGRAMME IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA
GOVERNING BY DECEIT
Background information
1.	On June 26, 2008, the Project Implementation Unit of the 2nd National Urban
Water sector reform project of the Lagos Water Corporation, acting through the
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, placed full page advertisements in
several National newspapers in Nigeria inviting comments on the “Revised
Environmental Impact Assessments report of on the Iju and Adiyan Water
works”.
2.	The newspaper advertisements stated that the Environmental Impact
Assessment is necessitated by activities under the World Bank financed 2nd
National Urban Water Sector Reform project that will involve the rehabilitation
of two major water plants of Iju and Adiyan water works in Lagos; and that the
public disclosure is being made in compliance with the World Bank’s safeguard
policies, and the Federal and state laws of Nigeria, Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) Act No 86 of 1992 which makes it mandatory for proponents of
all new major development activities to carry our an Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) of proposed projects 3.	The newspaper public notice of June 26, 2008 also stated the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) report would be displayed in seven venues, and that the
‘duration of display’ is ‘June 26, 2008’ between the hours of
‘8.00am-4.00pm’ only.
Facts on the ground
1.	The Bread of Life Development Foundation wishes to note whereas the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act No 86 of 1992 specifically stated
that EIA reports must be displayed for public information and comments for 21
working days, in this particular case, the EIA report was scheduled to be
displayed for only eight hours. To make matters worse, the Pubic notice for the
display of the EIA reports was published on June 26, 2008 the only day slated
for the display
2.	Over the past two weeks, Bread of Life Development Foundation visited all
the seven venues in Lagos and Abuja announced as display locations for the EIA
report, and our findings reveal that there was no public display of the EIA
report took place even for a minute –on the 26th of June or since thereafter.
3.	The Bread of Life Development Foundation, since 2006 had been advocating for
public disclosure of the Environmental Assessment Study of the 2nd National
Urban Water Sector Reform Project in Lagos state, because the wastewater
disposal of the Lagos water treatment plants at Adiyan and Iju have negative
environmental impacts which should be addressed before further major
construction works are embarked in the two waterworks. 4.	We like to state that an assessment study (E1138 Volume 2 of July 2005)
earlier conducted by the World Bank attest to the negative environmental
impacts of the two treatment water plants on the nearby River Adiyan and twenty
neighboring communities in Lagos and Ogun state of Nigeria. Excerpts from the
study state that:
i.	“The two plants at Adiyan and Iju have impacted quite negatively on the
neigbouring community from the points of environmental geochemistry, ecology
and environmental engineering”.
ii.	“The water quality has reduced considerably as some of the waters, plants
and soil contained more heavy metals in the downstream sector of River Adiyan
when compared to the upstream sector”.
iii.	“The primary productivity in the downstream of River Adiyan is quite
lower than that of the upstream sector of River Adiyan. In addition, much
siltation and eutrophication were found to be more in the downstream of River
Adiyan that the upstream. Because of much siltation, the River Adiyan
downstream has refuses to flow normally, an
d thus has always led to flooding of the river whenever it rains”.
iv.	“In addition, the siltation of the riverbed coupled with eutrophication
has resulted in the area being a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This has
eventually led to prevalence of malaria in the community”
Position Statement 1.	In view of the background information and facts of the ground above, the
Bread of Life Development Foundation condemns the failure of the appropriate
state agencies to display the said Revised EIA in line with extant laws and
practices. We state that nowhere in the world are EIA reports displayed within
eight hours only for public information and comments.
2.	We also like to state that the failure of the appropriate agencies to ensure
the EIA report is made available for public information and comments in the
seven display venues between June 26th and now, as announced, amounts to
political treachery, government deceit and perfidy.
3.	The reality on the ground is that no public disclosure of an EIA report on
the World Bank financed 2nd National Urban Water Sector reform project in Lagos
state in taking place or had taken place, and we invite all stakeholders to
reject the ongoing phony exercise and compel the Lagos State Government to
commence a credible and publicly verifiable disclosure of an EIA for the
project.
4.	We request that the funds expended in advertising this phony public
disclosure of EIA report in several newspapers should be refunded back to the
public treasury by the officers concerned.
5.	We call on the World Bank offices in Abuja and Washington to take cognizance
of this development and withhold financial approvals for the construction works
in the two water works until the provisions of the law on public disclosure of
EIA is adhered to by the Lagos State Government.
Babatope Babalobi
Bread of Life Dev. Foundation
July 14, 2008