Activists, civil society organisations and communities have urged African governments to halt privatisation plans and invest in public water systems.

They asked governments to return privatised water systems to localities for affordable and equitable management.

Speaking in Lagos to mark this year’s “Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatisation”, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation (CAPPA), Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said water privatisation would escalate prevailing challenges.

“The girl-child will spend more time looking for water, than she will prepare for school. Communities that rely on streams and nearby rivers will be dispossessed …” he said.

‘’From Nigeria, Kenya, Gabon, Uganda, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Uganda, governments must uphold the right to water and integrate broad public participation in developing plans to achieve universal access to clean water.’’

Activities at the event included town hall meetings, community engagements, news briefings, protests, meetings with policy makers, to show opposition to water privatisation promoted by World Bank and other financial institutions.