Determined to empower communities in their struggle for the fundamental right to drinkable water and to resist all forms of water privatisation, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) convened a water parliament for members of the Ajegunle Apapa community in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Held on August 24, 2024, the parliament brought together over 30 participants, offering a vital platform for the community to address their lack of access to public water, despite the presence of a Lagos Water Corporation facility in the area. Residents shared harrowing experiences of being forced to source water from contaminated open sources, overpriced third-party vendors, and often unsafe private boreholes.
The exorbitant cost of water and the scarcity of reliable sources have also led to a harsh routine of rationing, with some residents having to skip water intake during crucial times like the afternoon—a practice that is both unhealthy and deeply inconvenient.
Even more so, the heavy reliance driven by necessity on sachet water, popularly known as “pure water”, has worsened environmental problems in the area, as they end up as litter, clogging drainages and waterways in a community already lacking a proper waste management system. The parliament’s discussions drew direct connections between the substandard water quality and the prevalence of water-related diseases like typhoid and cholera. Participants also agreed that many chronic health issues afflicting the community are rooted in the dire state of water access.
In evaluating the response of state and local government authorities, participants recalled numerous failed attempts to push the government to provide drinkable water. They noted that the idle water facility, neglected for nearly a decade, stands as proof of the government’s inaction and broken promises to deliver even the most basic amenities.
Moving forward nevertheless, the assembly resolved to intensify their advocacy for government investment in public water infrastructure by engaging their elected representatives. They also committed to resisting water privatisation and demanding public control and democratic management of water infrastructure, recognising that the struggle for water is inseparable from the struggle for life itself.
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