Following the controversies generated over the collection of water related revenues in the State, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has clarified its position saying that at no time did it authorize any consultant to collect such revenues on its behalf.
This development was as a result of the petition published by the Concerned Members of Association of Water Producers of Lagos State on Monday, December 5, 2016.
In the petition, the body accused the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission and the Association of Table Water producers of Lagos State of alleged harassment, intimidation, and financial deprivation. As a result, the body called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to look into the matter.
In a response to the allegations, the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde in a statement, disclosed that investigation into the petition revealed some commercial/industrial consumers of Lagos State’s water resources under the aegis of the Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP), have been making payments due in respect of fees chargeable on their water production/packaging operations into a bank account not authorized by the State Government.
Ayorinde said that however well-intentioned the Association’s recourse to the use of a Consultant in facilitating the payment of government revenue by its members might be, it remained a procedural error, which according to him must be discontinued with immediate effect.
In his words, “consequently, it has become imperative for LASG to clarify that it has not appointed any Consultant to collect revenues on its behalf.” He added that “all water abstraction related revenues should be paid by individual water service providers into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the following relevant codes: Ministry/Agency Code: 4360013; Licensing Fee: 4030022; Permits: 4030023; Regulatory Charges: 4020173 (5% Water Consumption Surcharge).”
The Commissioner however stressed that “members of ATWAP and the general public should be apprised of the best wishes and intention of Governor Ambode to continually serve the good people of Lagos State with the highest quality of human, infrastructural, and social capital development in an atmosphere of transparency and accountability.”