The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA has criticised the Lagos State Government over recent comments by Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, that residents of Lekki Peninsula are “probably drinking what I will call ‘shit water’” from contaminated boreholes.
In a statement issued on Sunday, CAPPA said the blunt remark reflects deeper systemic failures in the state’s water governance rather than the fault of residents.
“The government is bad-mouthing a crisis it manufactured,” the group stated, arguing that boreholes are not a luxury but a survival measure for Lagos residents who lack access to reliable and affordable public water.
The organisation accused the state of neglecting public water infrastructure for decades while pursuing privatisation models “that place profit above people.”
It noted that the health risks from faecal contamination and poor wastewater management are longstanding, but remain unaddressed due to the absence of a comprehensive, transparent plan.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: “You cannot neglect your constitutional duty for decades, then turn around to shame people for doing what they must to survive. The question we must ask is: What is the Lagos State Government doing to ensure that its citizens no longer have to drink contaminated water, or live in fear of the next outbreak of disease?”
The group called for urgent public investment in water and sanitation, suspension of market-based reforms, and the development of a community-led water policy through open consultation with residents, civil society, and experts.
It also urged the government to implement a state-wide emergency plan to repair wastewater systems, expand access to safe water in underserved areas, and adopt climate-resilient water management approaches.
While acknowledging the need to regulate borehole drilling, CAPPA insisted this should only follow the provision of “viable and accessible public water alternatives.”