Alausa Alert January 2014 | Page 7

EL C T Gov. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire at the inauguration of Board of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission He called for water conservation, noting that government has decided that each resident will be entitled to a minimum of 30 gallons of water per day ,which is equivalent to 120 litres per day . However, in order to know the number of residents to utilizxe the 120 liters , necessitated the introduction of the registration exercise which he called on citizens to key in to by registering at the nearest registration centre. “We must conserve otherwise nothing we produce will be enough and this is part of the reasons why we are asking citizens especially residents to register. We have decided that each resident will be entitled to a minimum of 30 gallons of water per day which is equivalent of 120 litres per day but we now need to know how many residents need that 120 liters so that we can measure the sustainability of our plan”. Presenting the appointees, the Head of Service, Mrs Oluseyi Williams said they had appeared before the State House of Assembly and had been duly cleared. Chairman of the Governing board, Mr. Taiwo Shebioba, expressed the gratitude of the members to the Governor for his belief in them, adding that his vision for the Lagos Water Sector rests in very capable hands. He gave a commitment that they will key into the vision and move it further and ensure it is achieved within the best of their abilities . Mr. Shebioba promised creating an enviable water sector that would be the envy of other states and indeed other nations .He also pledged on behalf of other members of the board that water would very soon not feature in the list of challenges faced by residents of the state . Members of the Commission's governing Council are Mr. Taiwo Shebioba, Chairman, Engineer Abimbola Onafowokan, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi and Mrs. Tanwa Basirat Koya who is the Executive Secretary of the Commission. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HARMONIZE OPERATIONS tate Government agencies have agreed on the need to harmonize operations and avoid duplication of functions. Prince Ademorin Kuye, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who stated this at a meeting with Chief Environmental Health Officers in all Local Governments and LCDAs in the state, identified S R-L; Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments, Training & Pensions, Mrs. Florence Oguntuase; Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Rotimi Adekunle Hussain and Permanent secretary, Civil Service Pensions Office (CSPO), Mrs. Folasade Adesoye, at the 5the Pre-retirement Seminar organized by LASPEC in Lagos X 7 E FASHOLA INAUGURATES WATER REGULATORY COMMISSION BOARD he Board of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission has been inaugurated with a charge to the body to drive the awareness and advocacy on risks and benefits of conservation of raw and ground water sources , as well as the protection of the environment. Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) while inaugurating the board, said the protection of the environment is necessary , in order to protect underground water , prevent indiscriminate pollution of water bodies and discharge untreated waste, as they ultimately have a long term effect on water , the precious gift from nature. The Governor noted that if care is not taken, untreated waste, polluted water among others, are capable of becoming toxic and threaten human existence. He urged Lagosians to desist from the unhygienic practice of burying their dead at home and within the same distance they sink boreholes, as they risk drinking and using water from decomposing human waste for domestic purposes. Fashola told members of the board and others present that cases of cancer being witnessed cannot be divorced from how the people are managing the environment in terms of indiscriminate discharge of effluents and stuffs. He also charged the board that in a world where large bodies of water reserves are disappearing, they have the onerous responsibility of being the think tank of the state on how to optimize existing body of water resources , in addition to regulating the State Water Corporation as it currently exists, its pricing system , the way it produces water, quality of water produced and its fitness for human consumption , and the other entities to be created. He disclosed that his administration has set a ten year target , with six years left to go in ensuring that there is reliable water supply in Lagos , adding that this would become a reality through water works being put in place. They include the upgrading of Ishasi Waterworks from four to 12 million gallons per day, building Ot Ѽ