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COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE BILL FOR A LAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE L. S.W.S The Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), the South-West Coordinator of the National Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) organised a one day brainstorming roundtable on the Bill for a law to provide for the Lagos state water sector on the 11th November 2004 at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Lagos. More
PENTECOSTAL - CIVIL SOCIETY DIALOGUE 9-14:00. AGIP Recital Hall,
MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos The Inaugural Session of the 'Pentecostal-Civil Society Dialogue' on the theme 'Public Accountability and Governance' brings together Pentecostal and human rights leaders for frank and interactive discussions on issues of public accountability and governance - especially the question of how the moral influence of the Pentecostal churches can serve to improve the quality of governance in Nigeria. Keynote presentations will be made by Prof. Paul Gifford of the Department of Religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London and Dr. Matthews Ojo, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Religious Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. A distinguished panel comprising Pentecostal, human rights, media and academic leaders will lead the interactive discussions thereafter. Moderation: Ambassador Prof. Gabriel Olusanya. The goal of this initiative is to engage leaders of Pentecostal churches - constituting perhaps the largest and fastest-growing social movement in Nigeria - and leaders of civil society organizations in a dialogue about the possible contributions of the Pentecostal churches to improve governance and to combat corruption in this country. By their very character, Pentecostal churches have an enormous potential to influence public morality, among their members and beyond. It is envisaged that the dialogue will be a continuing process. Accordingly, the first phase of the dialogue from October 2004 to March 2005 has been structured into three sessions. Next sessions planned: Second Session - November
30, 2004 Third Session - mid-February
2005 The Pentecostal-Civil Society Dialogue is facilitated by the Centre for Law and Social Action [CLASA] with support from the Heinrich Boll Foundation. CLASA, an independent, non-profit research and advocacy centre, brings together scholars and activists in law, the social sciences and the humanities for inter-disciplinary research and advocacy on governance, development and human rights. CLASA informs and shapes policy dialogue and political action through research, analysis and advocacy. [More background information and keynote papers]
TONI KAN READING Saturday, 15 May 2004,
15:30. HBF Office Lagos-based author Toni Kan Onwordi, recently on an artist-in-residence program with the Heinrich Böll House in Langenbroich (near Cologne, Germany), just published his first novel: "Ballad of Rage". Today, he'll be reading from it - and it's promising to become an evening of readings, questions & answers, drinks and small chops!
WATER AND PRIVATIZATION Monday, 10 May 2004, 10:00.
HBF Office Access to water is a basic human right - but how to manage water supply in practice, and at what cost to ordinary people? In order to secure funds for urgently-needed investments in public water supply, various forms of "privatization" - from commercialization of parastatals through private sector participation (PSP) to outright sale of public utilities - are practiced world-wide. However, private sector engagement in the water sector is a contentious issue. Many ask why and how responsibility for providing a basic public good can be given to private profit-driven interests. In Nigeria, various initiatives are under way to improve public water supply in major cities by some form of PSP. Metropolitan Lagos is the most important and advanced case. The Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC) has been re-structured as an independent entity, commercializing its activities and getting private sector actors into the boat. At the roundtable at the HBF office, the CEO of LSWC, Mr. Olumuyiwa Coker, will inform about the rationale and current state of PSP in the water sector of Lagos. Thus, the roundtable provides an opportunity to inquire and discuss Lagos water policy with one of its most prominent personalities. Mr. Coker will be joined on the panel by Prof. Ademola Ariyo (CPPC) and Mr. Anthony Akpan (PAVE). Both latter speakers visited the "Third Forum on Development Policy" in Berlin in March 2004 that brought together experts and activists from several continents who discussed strategies to sustain the availability of water globally, as well as the problems and perspectives that arise from PSP in the water sector. Prof. Ariyo and Mr. Akpan will report back from the Berlin Forum and bring in the experiences made with PSP in the water sector in other parts of the world. A lively and certainly controversial debate is expected.
FINANCIAL TRAINING WORKSHOP Thursday-Friday, 12-13
February 2004. HBF Office Like in preceding years, the HBF Lagos office invites its partner organisations and other Nigerian NGOs to a Financial Training Workshop. The workshop provides opportunity to learn more about the administrative handling of externally-funded projects, about rules and procedures regarding reports and accounts etc. The workshop is directed especially at project coordinators and accountants within the NGO community. |
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2004