The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and water advocacy groups have urged political parties to prioritise universal access to safe water ahead of the 2027 elections.

They also called on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide an update on the implementation of its 2023 campaign promise to improve access to clean water across the country by 2030.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC’s Renewed Hope Manifesto aims to ensure that, by 2030, every Nigerian lives within a five-minute walk of a clean water source.

The groups made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday after a meeting with the newly elected national executives of AUPCTRE, led by its National President, Eugene Manji.

The statement was signed by Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI).

Other groups involved included the Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF), Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) Africa, Child Health Organisation (CHO), Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI).

They expressed concern that political parties had given little attention to access to safe water in their campaign promises, in spite of the country’s water supply challenges.

The groups cited global data indicating that access to clean water in Nigeria stood at about 29.9 per cent, attributing the slow progress in the sector partly to institutional fragmentation at federal and state levels.

They said the challenges were documented in a 2025 report, ‘Dry Taps: A Damning Verdict on the State of Water Utilities in Nigeria’, which examined water utilities in Oyo, Lagos, Kogi, Enugu, Edo and Kano states.

According to them, the report showed that years of neglect by federal and state governments had left many water utilities operating below capacity, forcing residents to depend on costly and potentially unsafe alternatives.

The statement quoted Manji as saying millions of Nigerians still relied on unsafe water sources, while those who could afford commercially supplied water paid heavily for it.

He warned that the situation exposed citizens to waterborne diseases and possible contamination from harmful chemicals.

Similarly, CFSF Executive Director, Sani Baba, said political parties had yet to present convincing plans to address the country’s water crisis.

Baba urged Nigerians to demand clear commitments on universal water access from political parties seeking electoral support.

Jakpor said water was fundamental to food security, energy, public health and climate resilience and should therefore feature prominently in political parties’ development plans.

The groups also opposed the proposed private-sector takeover of publicly funded state water corporations, especially the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model being promoted by the Lagos State Government.

They urged political parties to consider the Public-Public Partnership (PuP) model, which involves collaboration among public and non-profit organisations to provide services, develop infrastructure and share technical expertise.

They also called for improved workers’ welfare, decent working conditions and fair wages to address the economic challenges facing water sector employees. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade