PHOTO; One of the water source used by residents in Jorgah town
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- The lack of safe drinking water is said to be hampering the living conditions of citizens of Jorgah town in Suakoko District in the central Bong County.
As a result, residents are appealing to humanitarians organizations and good-will individuals to quickly come to their aid in providing safe drinking water to their community. Jorgah, which is a historic town within the Suakoko District, has a population close to 410 inhabitants.
In tears said, some of the locals say they are finding it very difficult to have access to safe drinking water, worse during the dry season.
In separates interview, some residents stated that there is a risk of a diarrhea outbreak in the community, if there is no intervention for a clean and safe water source.
Kennedy Harris, the Town Chief of Jorgah town said: “My brother to be honest with you we the people in this community live in life threatening situation. It’s not small suffering we are going through here, our women and children usually walked for some 30 to 45 minutes in bushes to fetched drinking water and this is causing us serious health hazard.”
The situation, according to Chief Harris, needs to be given urgent intervention, if they are to live happier and healthier lives.
He wants well-meaning people of Bong County, humanitarians organizations and the government of Liberia to construct some hand pumps in the area, because the two hand pumps constructed since 20 years are now damaged.
The Youth President of Jorgah town, Arthur Sackie has also been explaining the serious health hazard that the lack of safe drinking water is causing people in this area.
“The water in which we are drinking here has caused several people here to get sick from running stomach or diarrhea. So we are crying on NGOs and all those hearing my voice and the county superintendent even our lawmakers to come to our aid because we are dying here,” Mr. Sackie
The Chairperson of the town, Nyamah D. Mulbah also told www.newspublictrust.com that safe drinking water is crucial to Liberia’s development, as such collaborative efforts are needed to address the issue.
She said when Liberians have access to safe drinking water, the number of people who go to the various health centers and hospitals due to water-related illnesses will considerably reduce as well as the death rates in the country.
Besides the lack of safe drinking water in the area, the Jorgah town community lacks roads, school among other important facilities.
Other residents also told this news outlet that the inability of the government and their lawmakers to provide those needed facilities is a clear demonstration that they have been neglected.
According to them, the absence of these basic social services is posing threat to their wellbeing, thereby causing their children to grow uneducated and at the same time affecting their economic wellbeing as well as posing threat to their health.
The citizens in this area believe that their rights to have access to equal opportunity have been violated over the years by Leaders they elect to represent them.
The Jorgah town residents are therefore appealing to President George Manneh Weah to urgently come to their aid for the improvement of the community, first starting with the provision of safe drinking water.