…cautions that professionally handled boreholes don’t pose danger to users
Blame failed leadership for unsafe borehole water in Lagos, says AWDROP Boss
…cautions that professionally handled boreholes have safe drinking water
An expert in water resources and management, Mr. Ale Micheal, who is equally an expert in Water, Sanitation and hygiene. (WASH) as well as the National President of Nigeria Borehole Drillers Association (AWDROP) has said that failure of the government to properly manage the water sector and the borehole industry was responsible for unsafe drinking water in Lagos State as recently decried by the State’s Health Commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi.
Prof Abayomi had decried that water from boreholes in Lagos aren’t safe for human consumption because such water would have been polluted from other unhygenic human activities.
The Health Commissioner who cautioned that Lagosians must beware of such water, also called on experts and relevant stakeholders to come to the aide of the state government, adding that the government was ready to partner with others in its quest to provide safe drinking water to all Lagosians.
Responding to the development, Engr. Ale in a press statement at the weekend, said failure to provide productive and responsive leadership in virtually all sectors on the part of the government, has been responsible for the unsafe drinking water from the boreholes in the state. He said:”The alarm being raised over unsafe drinking water in Lagos is an indication of a failed government’s system. Nobody should be blamed but the Government.”
While urging government at all levels to wake up to their responsibility especially in the areas of managing development oriented sectors such as the water sector, he however, allayed the fears of the Lagos State government that all water from the boreholes in the state are unsafe for drinking, clarifying that professionally handled boreholes have safe drinking waters.
Ale said:
Yes, l agree with the Commissioner’s submission, long term abandonment of professionalism is playing out in the borehole drilling industry. But professionally handled borehole are safe for consumption.”
The water expert said his association, which comprises professional borehole drillers, can assist the Lagos State’s Ministry of Health in training practitioners who will provide professional services in the area in focus: “what our association can do is to partner with the Minsitry of health in organizing programmes through which we will train practitioners in drilling industry in professional practice and also set code of practice for Lagos drilling operations.”
The water and development expert added that as professionals, his association has wherewithal to solve the unsafe water issues once and for all: ” We have the template to make things work in Lagos State. We should be invited to make our presentation”, he advised, adding that: “The fact is all water are at their raw state and unsafe until it is declared safe by the practitioner, laboratory scientists. So no need to fear, we should just abide by professional practices, if we don’t want to have long threatening disease”.
Ale, who is an globally recognised water expert also advised the Lagos State government to: ”
Have proper water security and Governance structure. Then allocate enough budget for water resources management, train more professionals in the sector and educate people on water quality, among other precautionary measures. “.