The Board Chairman of Ogun State Water Corporation, Mr. Johnson Olufatoki, has assured residents of a new era of improved water supply and institutional rebranding, aimed at restoring public confidence in the agency’s services.
He made this known during the inaugural meeting of the board members with the management of the Ogun State Water Corporation (OGSWC), held at the Corporation’s headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Mr. Olufatoki emphasised the board’s commitment to repositioning the corporation for efficiency and enhanced service delivery.
“The current board is determined to turn things around. We recognize the challenges in water distribution across the state. Ogun State Water Corporation has faced decades-long criticism over poor service delivery and aging infrastructure,” he stated.
He noted that Prince Dapo Abiodun had entrusted the new leadership with the responsibility of identifying and addressing the challenges facing the Corporation, just as he awaits its reports and recommendations, which were crucial to the restoration of the utility’s credibility.
Mr. Olufatoki revealed that the rebranding plan include collaboration with relevant stakeholders through models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Private Sector Participation (PSP) and individual involvement, to boost funding and technical support.
“We will explore various opportunities, including PPPs and PSPs. The government cannot do everything alone. The law that established the Ogun State Water Corporation under Section 41 empowers it to perform regulatory functions for water services. Some private individuals have also shown interest in supporting efforts to improve service delivery,” Olufatoki added.
He assured residents that the regular supply of portable water would soon be restored to urban and semi-urban areas across the state.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Water Resources, Honourable Damilola Otubanjo, welcomed the Chairman and board members’ renewed vision. She noted that although the Corporation has been making efforts to extend its services beyond Abeokuta to other parts of the state, it has faced significant constraints.
“To expand our services beyond Abeokuta and into other local government areas, we need to identify all the challenges, examine the grey areas, develop appropriate strategies, prioritize needs, and gradually reactivate non-functional infrastructure to make things work,” she said.
In her remarks, the Consultant to the Governor on Water, Alhaja Muinat Jaji, emphasised that ensuring water reaches all corners of the state is a massive task. She stressed the need for collaboration among board members, management and staff of the Corporation to properly assess the problems and determine areas requiring government intervention.
