On Friday, 6th June 2025, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) brought together members of the Ekiti State Water Consumer Association (WCA) for a Community Water Parliament. The engagement was held as part of ongoing efforts to deepen public participation in water governance and to reflect on findings from CAPPA’s recently published report, Big Debt, Big Thirst, which examined the implications of World Bank–backed water reforms across multiple states, including Ekiti.
The parliament provided a platform for community representatives to express growing concerns over the erosion of democratic participation in water management in Ekiti State, particularly since the inception of the World Bank-funded water sector reforms.
Key Issues Raised by the WCA
1. Collapse of community engagement structures
Participants lamented a marked decline in government engagement. In the initial phases of the World Bank–funded project, water authorities convened regular consultations with the WCA. However, this communication has significantly reduced in recent years. Multiple requests by the Association for meetings or updates from the state government have gone unanswered. This contrasts sharply with the pre-World Bank era, where water governance, though imperfect, was led by the state and actively included community oversight and participation.
2. Rebranding of the Association
Members expressed strong dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to rename them from the ‘Water Consumer Association’ to the ‘Water Customer Association’. They argued that this change reflects the government’s move toward a market-oriented approach to water service delivery, undermining the community’s stance that water is a right, not a commodity.
3. Marginalisation of local oversight
Since the Ekiti State Water Corporation assumed control of the reformed water infrastructure, the role of the WCA has been diminished. Community input has been reduced to a consultative formality – if at all, with no binding influence over decisions. Several community-based oversight projects were abandoned without explanation.
4. Continued vigilance despite exclusion
Despite these challenges, the WCA continues to fulfill its role as a citizen watchdog. Members cited instances where they reported cases of water meter vandalism and handed over suspects to law enforcement. However, these interventions have not received serious follow-up, reinforcing the perception that the state does not value community-driven accountability.
5. Unjust tariffing in unmetered areas
The WCA raised concerns over the imposition of water tariffs in communities without metered supply. For example, residents in Isato-Oke, Ado-Ekiti, were reportedly charged ₦4,000 per month despite receiving no water. This reflects a troubling pattern where citizens are expected to pay for services they do not access.
6. Road construction projects damaging water infrastructure
Another recurring challenge is the destruction of laid water pipes during state-led road construction. In many communities, pipes installed through previous water projects are being uprooted or severed without coordination between ministries or contractors. The WCA warned that this lack of inter-agency planning threatens to erase years of investment, especially as these projects were funded through loans. Community members stressed that even in areas where water isn’t yet flowing, preserving existing infrastructure is essential to avoid restarting from scratch once technical issues are resolved.
Conclusions
The Parliament ended with a consensus that the Ekiti State Government must reinstate genuine and structured engagement with the Water Consumer Association. As the primary citizen engagement body on water issues in the state, the WCA remains an invaluable partner in safeguarding public water infrastructure and promoting accountability.
CAPPA joins the WCA in urging the Ekiti State government to reopen lines of communication with the WCA and restore the association’s full oversight function. Unless communities are treated as co-owners, not just end-users of water systems, the sustainability and equity of water governance remains at risk.
