Lagos Govt Partners US Firm For Water Reforms
By Felix Kuyinu
The Lagos State Government has partnered with Belstar and ENKA Consortium Company to ensure provision of adequate water for residents in the metropolis.
The state government, on Monday, signed a memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the international group in ensuring that critical challenges facing water infrastructure are addressed, as informed by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
Wahab mentioned that the initiative will facilitate construction, rehabilitation and installation of water treatment facilities alongside distribution networks which will ensure a reliable water supply to the communities through the establishment of new water works.
The Commissioner also informed that the project which is in two folds of Brown Field which consists of rehabilitating existing water works and the Green Field which will provide construction of outright new water works in various locations of the state will involve government monitoring to ensure compliance with relevant regulations in social and safety standards.
The Managing Director, Belstar Capital, Tewodos Polk, disclosed that the measure will be executed by the engineering, procurement, construction and finance model issued by the US company.
Polk stated that the firm, founded in 1998, will utilize local subcontractors in promoting capacity building and sustainable development throughout the 36 month project period.
He added that the group is committed to ensuring that the initiative is carried out with the leverage of its strength and technical expertise for long term productivity and service delivery.
The Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Mukhtaar Tijani, said that the initiative will provide portable water to residents in the state and also ensure eradication of water-related diseases.
Tijani stated that the corporation will ensure effective collaboration with the consortium, providing technical inputs as well as stakeholders’ coordination in enabling completion of the project.
