Lagos State has trained Field Officers on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) to help collect data on the status of its water facilities across the state.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tunji Bello said the move was part of efforts to ensure the people have access to quality water.
According to him, government needs adequate data to support policy formation on water resources. ‘It is certain that water supply is inadequate, and it is only through baseline studies and data gathering that effective policies can be made,’ he said.
Bello, represented by the Director of Drainage Enforcement and Compliance, Mahmood Adegbite, said 100 enumerators will be trained to cover the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in the state. He appealed to the people to support and accept the enumerators as the survey aims to ensure that safe and clean water is accessible to all eventually.
He added: “It’s a 10-day baseline survey of water supply and sanitation facilities in private and public institutions, which will cover hotels, schools, tertiary institutions, farm settlements, hospitals, gardens and more, except private houses.
“The survey is to determine the status of water and sanitation facilities in all these institutions, which will eventually form the cornerstone that will inform investment in the sector.
“This meeting is to train the enumerators on the baseline studies of water resources. We want to have adequate data that will support policy formulation for water resources in the state…”
The Director of Water Resources in the ministry, Mrs. Omolanke Taiwo, emphasised that water is life and should be available and accessible to every resident.
She recalled that the Federal Government has launched a campaign to end open defecation by 2025, and so, a baseline survey would give the proper status and functionality of the water scheme, and the report would give an edge to government to plan.
