The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria Lagos Zone has emphasised the need for all hands to be on deck to tackle the water challenge in Nigeria.
They made the call during a public lecture in Lagos State to celebrate the 2024 World Water Day (WWD) themed: “Leveraging Water for Peace,” where women engineers in Nigeria and stakeholders emphasised the essence of life which transcends all boundaries and the importance of building a future where water is a symbol of unity.
President APWEN, Dr. Adebisi Osim, lamented the negative effect of poor poor water supply, and called upon stakeholders to join hands with APWEN to achieve the common goal of securing water for all.
Represented by Atinuke Owolabi, chairman, APWEN Lagos, Osim urged the state and federal governments to prioritize investments in water, develop policies that promote infrastructure for better water management to address the water crisis in the country.
Osim also called for commitment by government and relevant stakeholders to checking the water crisis and
other challenges that have undermined water in Nigeria.
“I encourage investment in technology that will reduce water consumption. Companies and individuals should imbibe the culture of water sanitation and hygiene, water conservation and become custodians of the local water sources.”
On his part, the key note speaker, Engr.A.Z Ogunsola, MNIWE, Water Supply and Distribution Expert, appreciated the women engineers for their efforts to improve WASH.
He noted that the first set of people to be impacted when their is shortage of water are women and children, “so I’m not surprised at your efforts to save the situation.”
He highlighted the importance of water, saying water is next to oxygen and crucial for survival and so water security goes far beyond whether we have too much or too little of the physical resource.
“It goes to the heart of every aspect of our development and well-being. As people on a livable planet, we need enough water of the right quality and quantity to keep us healthy, to sustain our livelihoods, grow our economies, and protect our ecosystems.”
He noted that water and sanitation are crucial aspects of public health and sustainable development, particularly in densely populated areas like Lagos.
“While there may be abundant water sources such as the ocean, ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water remains a challenge due to pollution and inadequate treatment facilities.
” The theme of “Water for Peace” for World Water Day underscores the vital role water plays in promoting peace and prosperity worldwide, as recognized by the United Nations. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the need for universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation services to achieve global development goals.”
Dr Nicholas Igwe, National coordinator of OPS-WASH noted that president Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security and water. He said the president
understands that there will be crisis if water is not provided, so he has taken the right approach.
“OPS believes in the strength of the private sector which is the engine of the economy.
He commended the efforts of the Lagos state government believing that more can be achieved .
Other engineers that spoke at the event included Engineer Dr Comfort Afella, chairman, APWEN, VI chapter; Mojisola Oyewole-Egbin, chairman, APWEN , Ikorodu chapter; Engr.Favour Taiwo Olatunji, among others..