The scourge of cholera plaguing parts of Nigeria, including Lagos, has exposed the chronic underfunding of the country’s water and sanitation sector, according to Micheal Ale, the National President of the Association of Waterwell Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP) and founder of the Global Initiative for Nigeria Development (GIND).
In a statement released over the weekend, Ale stated that cholera has been endemic in Nigeria since it first appeared in 1972, with the 1991 outbreak being the most severe, resulting in 59,478 cases and 7,654 deaths.
He said: “Fast forward to 2024, and the situation appears to have not improved much. On June 9th, the Lagos State government declared a cholera outbreak, reporting 324 suspected cases, including 15 deaths and 40 discharges. Nationally, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 1,141 suspected cholera cases across 30 states since January 1st, with 65 confirmed cases and 30 deaths.
Ale emphasized that the recurrent cholera outbreaks in Nigeria are a symptom of the chronic underfunding of the water and sanitation sector. He noted that nearly a third of Nigerians lack access to a basic water supply, which he attributed to “loopholes in a law.”
“Government alone cannot supply Nigerians with safe water; they need to involve private sector players in their planning and intervention,” Ale said.
To address the current crisis, Ale called for a more aggressive and comprehensive approach, beyond just vaccine distribution and public awareness campaigns. He urged other private organizations, development partners, civil society organizations, and non-state actors to join the fight against the disease.
Ale suggested that the government should invite private practitioners in borehole drilling to immediately undertake professional drilling in areas where water is scarce, as part of the emergency intervention. He also proposed the establishment of a “WASH Practitioner Without Borders” network to provide pro bono support and supervision in the drilling and sanitization of contaminated boreholes.
“Cholera outbreak is a sign of underfunding of the water sector in Nigeria, perhaps the funding was misappropriated. This needs to be looked into proactively,” Ale concluded.
