By COLLINS ODIGIE OJIEHANOR
in Lagos, Nigeria
newshub@eyewitness.africa
Within the coronary heart of Nigeria’s bustling financial hub, Lagos, an escalating disaster threatens the well being and high quality of lifetime of its inhabitants.
Town’s fast urbanization has engendered a paradox: whereas improvement surges forward, the very surroundings sustaining its populace falters.
Lagos, a sprawling megacity teeming with ambition and potential, grapples with a relentless situation that undermines its progress—water shortage. For its rural communities and concrete poor, that is greater than a mere inconvenience; it’s a dire emergency.
The dearth of fresh, protected ingesting water exacerbates current vulnerabilities, turning a primary necessity right into a luxurious for a lot of.
Town’s relentless growth has come at a big environmental value. Land reclamation tasks, meant to accommodate rising wants, have inadvertently disrupted Lagos’s pure drainage programs.
These disruptions, coupled with rampant air pollution from industrial discharge, unchecked sewage, and the ever present menace of plastic waste, have compounded town’s battle.
Open dumpsites and overflowing sewage programs mar the panorama, whereas improper waste disposal practices render many water sources undrinkable.
For numerous Lagos residents, the fact is grim. The seepage of dangerous chemical substances and pathogens from inadequately managed waste infiltrates groundwater—the first water supply for a lot of households.
This contamination manifests in a plethora of waterborne illnesses, together with cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever, which strike significantly laborious at kids and the aged. The financial burden of treating these sicknesses additional impoverishes affected households, entrenching them in a cycle of poverty and ill-health.
Mrs. Aina Sampson’s day by day life in Igbogbo paints a poignant image of this battle. “Each morning, I rise earlier than daybreak to fetch water from a effectively removed from my house,” she recounts. “I boil it earlier than we use it, however regardless of my efforts, my kids usually fall sick with diarrhea. It’s heart-wrenching to see them endure.”
Even in prosperous neighborhoods like Lekki and Lagos Island, the search for clear water is fraught with challenges. The disparity between town’s glittering façade and the tough actuality confronted by its residents underscores the complexities of city water administration.
Wealthier areas, regardless of their prosperity, usually are not resistant to the disaster. Many depend on boreholes or non-public water suppliers, usually contending with water tainted by close by sewage programs and insufficient remedy amenities.
Mr. Johnson Raymond, a resident of Lekki, voices his frustration: “We moved right here anticipating higher situations, however the water situation is a continuing problem. We spend considerably on bottled water as a result of the borehole water will not be protected to drink.”
The disaster extends past mere inconvenience; it carries extreme implications for public well being and environmental sustainability. Open defecation and insufficient sewage programs contribute to widespread contamination of water sources.
Polluted water our bodies disrupt native ecosystems, harming wildlife and lowering agricultural productiveness—a vital supply of livelihood for a lot of in rural areas.
Canal polluted with waste in Ogudu, Lagos State, Nigeria. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor.
Public Well being Professional, Mrs. Pleasure Okpire highlights the pressing want for systemic change. “Open defecation and the discharge of untreated industrial wastewater are main contributors to water contamination. These practices introduce dangerous pathogens and pollution into water sources, jeopardizing each well being and the surroundings,” she explains.
The current cholera outbreak in Lagos, with a dying toll of 29 and tons of of suspected circumstances, has drawn consideration to the gravity of the scenario.
Efforts to curb the outbreak have been multifaceted, involving water pattern testing, public well being campaigns, and coordination throughout varied authorities ministries. But, the problem stays formidable.
Dr. Tunde Ajayi of the Lagos State Environmental Safety Company (LASEPA) notes, “Our laboratory findings reveal widespread contamination. Solely a fraction of the water sources we examined met security requirements.”
The financial pressure on households is palpable. In Ajegunle, Mrs. Sola Adebayo laments, “Many kids right here endure from frequent sicknesses as a result of contaminated water. It’s laborious to coach mother and father about hygiene after they don’t have entry to scrub water.”
For companies like that of, Mrs. Amaka Amadi, on Lagos Island, the water disaster imposes surprising prices. “I’ve needed to put money into a water purification system, which has considerably elevated my bills,” she explains.
The socioeconomic ramifications are profound. The battle for clear water deepens current inequalities, with rural and economically deprived communities bearing the brunt.
The time spent amassing water usually detracts from financial alternatives and academic pursuits, perpetuating cycles of poverty.
The Lagos State Authorities, acknowledging the vital water deficit, has initiated tasks just like the Adiyan II water infrastructure to bridge the hole between demand and provide.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasizes the urgency of those efforts: “Our water provide grasp plan signifies a big deficit. We’re working to handle this hole, however progress has been impeded by varied challenges.”
Coverage interventions should deal with each rapid wants and long-term sustainability. Enhanced waste administration infrastructure, public schooling on sanitation, and rigorous enforcement of rules are essential steps.
Furthermore, investing in information assortment and evaluation, as advocated by consultants like, Engineer Timothy Wanjohi, can information efficient coverage choices and mitigate future outbreaks.
The plight of Lagos serves as a stark reminder of the intertwined nature of city improvement, environmental stewardship, and public well being.
As town continues to develop, balancing these parts shall be very important in guaranteeing a more healthy, extra equitable future for all its residents.
