By Omolara Akintoye
Activists, Civil Society Organisations, as well African communities have urged African government to halt privatization plans and instead, invest in public water systems that include meaningful public participation in water governance, with special focus on the prospectives of those typically left out of decision making processes.
It also warned African governments already involved in privatisation to return privatised water systems to localities for affordable and equitable management.
WaterAid partners Ghanaian community to combat harsh climate change
Speaking at a press briefing held in Lagos to commemorate this year’s “Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatization”, the Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation (CAPPA), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi who spoke virtually from Abuja, Nigeria, warned that if water privatization is allowed, the ramifications will be far from pleasant. “The danger the girl-child faces will be further escalated because she’ll spend more time looking for water, than she’ll prepare for school; communities that rely on streams and nearby rivers will be dispossessed of that blessing and end up going into extinction”
From Nigeria, Kenya, Gabon, Uganda, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon Uganda etc the demand was that African government’s must fully uphold the human right to water as an obligation of the government and then integrate broad public participation in developing plans to achieve universal access to clean water.
According to Akinbode” There are more demand on African governments. We urge them to fully uphold the human right to water as an obligation of the government representing the people.
” Reject contracts designed by or involving the IFC, which operates to maximise private profit.
‘ Increase budgetary allocation to the water sector, among others.
Other activities for the weeklong event included
town hall meetings, community engagements, press briefings, protest marches, meetings with policymakers and a host of engagements to indicate their opposition to water privatisation schemes promoted by the World Bank and other international financial institutions, which continue to deprive communities their right to existence.
Notable activists, CSO experts globally and Africa such as Executive Director, Corporate Accountability, U.S, Patti Lin, Comrade Sani Baba, Comrade Benjamin Anthony, Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, Comrade Phillip Jakpor, female activist Aderonke Ige, Ustaz Imran Rufai, Director, The Arabic village, Neil Gupta (Corporate Accountability), Nura Ali among others, were all part of the conversation at the media meeting.
But the message is clear ” We do not want our water systems privatised.”
A report “Africa Must Rise & Resist Water Privatisation” which details how privatisation has become the most potent threat to Africans’ human right to water, has been launched.
According to Water Campaign Director, Corporate Accountability, Boston, U.S, Neil Guptar, right now one in three people around the world don’t have enough safe water to meet their daily needs’. Water Privatisation, Guptar said is most times followed by labour abuses, broken promises and degrading service and, these contracts can be decades or even more meaning every decisions made today would have an impact for generation to come. “But we have what they would never have: the power of people coming together to demand what is right and that is what makes African Coalition so important” said Guptar.
“The idea of water privatisation is dead on arrival” said the Director, Arabic Village, Imam Rufai.
