…Says Internal Affairs Min. Varney Sirleaf as he deidcates 3 modern water facilities in Nimba County
The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) can drastically reduce water theft once it carries out rapid connection of Liberians, Internal Affairs Minister, Varney A. Sirleaf says.
The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) is the Liberian Government entity responsible for the supply of water to residents and foreign national within the territorial confines of Liberia.
Minister Sirleaf proxied for President George Weah in Sanniquellie, Nimba County over the weekend at the symbolic dedication of three water plants said the connection of the people by LWSC.
The newly commission plant will make safe drinking water accessible and will not cause them to resort to other different way of getting them connected.
The three water facilities in Sanniquellie, Robertsport and Voinjama Cities funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is under the Capital Improvement Project Piped Portable Water Restoration.
He also said for the three modern water facilities in Sanniquellie, Robertsport and Voinjama to be sustained by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) residents must pay their water bills when connected and ensure their protection.
Minister Sirleaf: “We are grateful to the American Government, the people of America and USAID, for their numerous assistance they continues to give to the Liberian people, ranging from water, health, education and infrastructure”.
The Internal Affairs Ministry Boss said the dedication of the three water facilities with definitely turn the story around for the 90 percent of Liberians who used to fetch water from creeks and rivers that were unsafe to safe drinking water.
He however, called on USAID to replicate the Capital Improvement Project Piped Portable Water Restoration in other cities across the country to reduce the people from drinking unsafe water.
Minister Sirleaf urged residents of the three cities to take ownership of the facilities and thanked USAID for these projects which are bringing safe drinking water at the door step of the people.
Also speaking, LWSC Managing Director, Duannah Kamara, disclosed that the three modern water facilities valued over 29 million United States Dollars.
Mr. Kamara warned the residents against looting and destroying the facilities because it is the high earned money provided by the people of the United States.
He called on them that maintenance of the facilities must be the primary concern of the residents on Sanniquellie, Robertsport and Voinjama.
Mr. Kamara said plans are being worked out to have similar modern water facilities to be constructed in other counties in the country.
“The dedication of the water facilities has now become a challenge for us Liberian to maintain them and ensure they are used for intended purpose as they are the biggest in West Africa,” the LWSC Managing Director asserted.
In brief remarks, USAID Mission Director, Anthony Chan said the collective efforts by both the United States and the Liberian Governments have made safe drinking water accessible to the people of the country.
Mr. Chan: “With the inauguration of the three water facilities it will reduce the difficulties faced by residents of Sanniquellie, Robertsport and Voinjama cities to get safe drinking water’.
He also stressed that benefactors must paid their bills, maintained and protect the facilities, and spoke of the extending the project to other cities across Liberia.
Speaking earlier, a member of the project Local Steering Committees (LSC), Deddeh Kollie, Voinjama – LSC, described the facilities in the three cities as a milestone.
Madam Kollie thanked USAID and LWSC for such a worthwhile facilities and promised that the Committees will collaborate with all those involve to ensure they are used properly.
The symbolic dedication which took place in Sanniquellie, Nimba County also brought togher local authorities of Grand Cape Mount, Lofa and Nimba, including the three Superintendents.
Facilities not in some cities
Currently there are water facilities in six of the nine counties in Liberia. The facilities are in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh, Kakata, Margibi, Buchanan, Grand Bassa, Voinjama, Lofa, Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount and Sanniquellie, Nimba.
In the whole of Western and Southeastern there is no water facility, including President George Weah home county, Grand Kru.
The construction or restoration of water facilities in the remaining nine counties are vital, because it will help to reduce water related borne diseases that will reduce the death rate curtail residents from their various communities from fetching water from creeks and rivers.
Plans are being disclosed by USAID Mission Director, Anthony Chan and LWSC Managing Director Duannah Kamara to extend the similar modern water facilities to their respective counties.
The local officials of the other counties present at the weekend ceremony expressed the hope that this will be done in the shortest possible, so that people in those areas can have access to safe and affordable water, thus improving their health, sanitation and hygiene. Report by Jonathan Grigsby