By Alfred Kollie alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Poor disposal of waste materials in urban and rural areas is one of the most serious problems affecting the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Liberia, the WAS Reporters and Editors Network has said.
Branice Cheapoo, a member of the Network said this is one of the most serious challenges Liberia faces in WASH sector as the the water action month was officially launched in Monrovia recently.
The month of March is celebrated globally.
In an interview with www.newspublictrust.com , Ms Cheapoo said many Liberians, mainly children are still dying from water borne diseases such as diarrhea due to open defecation in both urban and rural areas across Liberia.
‘’I visited in recent time New Kru Town, West Point, and in Bong County I saw people suffering as a result of open defecation which is affecting them,’’ she explained.
‘’One thing I observed is that a reasonable of portion of the population has no access to safe drinking water, while mineral water companies are poorly treating their water,’’ Ms. Cheapoo said.
According to her, more needs to be done in addressing the issue by providing education and awareness on safe and clean environment in the society.
Speaking in an interview with which came after her visit to a number of locations, the member of the WASH Reporters and Editors Network called on President George Weah to appoint individual to head the WASH Commission that is knowledgeable about the WASH sector.
At the same time, the Executive Director of the United Youth for Peace, Education, Transparency and Development in Liberia, Timothy Kpeh has said establishing and strengthening institutional capacity will help citizens have access to safe drinking water.
‘’Improving sector financing mechanisms as means of making notable progress on water and sanitation coverage in Liberia is the best way forward,’’ Kpeh noted.
He said after the Joint Mission, which took place in April 2011, the Liberia WASH Compact was developed jointly by representatives of the government, civil society, development partners, UN agencies and the private sector.
The Compact was endorsed by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in January 2012.
The compact set out reviewing the WASH Compact evaluation report, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) engaged the national legislatures for the enactment of the National Water Supply and sanitation Commission.
In 2012, the Act calling for the establishment of the WASH Commission was introduced in the House of Representatives by Montserrado County district five Representative Thomas P. Fallah and Representative Munah Pelham Youngblood of district nine of Montserrado County.
The Executive Director of the Youth group said lack of proper management of the WASH sector is a factor affecting Water, sanitation and hygiene in the Country.
Kpeh said in order to properly address the issue of water, sanitation and hygiene there is a need for government to attack seriousness to wash issue throughout the country.
He wants President George Weah put in place a system called the join sector review committee and by appoint individual who is knowledgeable about the commission to lead the sector.
“The issue of wash budget in government Ministries and Agencies has no impact in the wash sector that will positively impact the lives of citizens across the country,’’. Kpeh added.