By Tare Youdeowei

DIRECTOR, Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, CESSED, Prof. Babajide Elemo, has called on the academia to serve as the knowledge base of the government.

He made the call at the Centre’s public lecture on ‘Public Water Supply in the Mega City of Lagos’ handled by guest lecturer Dr. Bola Balogun, Assistant General Manager,Quality Control, Lagos Water Corporation and unveiling of its new nomenclature and logo.

“An appraisal of efforts thus far has showed that the centre has fairly fulfilled its objective of training personnel, it has however not matched its objectives in other cardinal areas such as research, establishing synergy with ministry agencies and multinational companies and creating awareness of its existence and relevance within and outside the country.” Elemo said.

Stating the role of the academia in providing portable water in Lagos, Dr Bola Balogun said; “The academia needs to build capacity for water supply and develop knowledge based innovative solutions to local problems of improving services in the sector.

They also need to generate, collect and store quality long term data that will help provide a basis for planning. Finding lasting solutions to water treatment and research into salient water incursion is also a way the academia can contribute to resolving water generation supply and supply challenges.”

Stating the need for the public lecture, Prof. Elemo, said; “There is an increasing concern about the contamination of the various bodies of water available in Lagos and this is the reason why the university has deemed it fit to invite her partners in the Ministries of Environment, Agriculture, Health, Local Government Sole Administrators and stakeholders, to find lasting solutions as water itself carries a large proportion in the composition and maintenance of life.

“Locally the major environmental problems include oil spillage, deforestation associated with soil erosion, ozone layer depletion, desertification, acid deposition as well as water and air pollution. The impact of environmental degradation is more severe in Lagos being the commercial nerve centre of the country.