By Francis H. Murray
The Minister of Water Resources, Philip Karimu Lansana has said that the country’s water catchment areas have been endangered by the “deliberate” activities of encroachers which have posed serious challenges to the sustainable water supply across the country.
Speaking at the weekly press conference organised at the Ministry of Information on Thursday 25th March 2021, the Minister stated that the construction of houses around catchment areas, depositing of mining waste into running streams and the cutting down of trees along pipe lines among others have resulted in the loss of value for water.
He went on to note that as a way of addressing the immediate challenges of the water sector, his Ministry has engaged the Presidency and partners to put together an inter-institutional committee comprising Cabinet Ministers, and heads of institutions to deal with the protection of water catchment and other protected areas across the country.
The Minister stressed that they are developing a cabinet paper which will be completed and presented with recommendations on how to address the speedy rate of encroachment on water catchment areas as well as other protected areas around the country.
Speaking on the progress made in the National Water Resources Management Agency, Engineer Ken Tommy stated that they have developed a five-year strategic plan as well as four regulations which involve dam safety, water use and catchment, borehole drilling development and pollution, to back up the Agency’s 2017 Act No 5.
The Act, he said was formed and charged with the mandate to protect, regulate, evenly distribute and sustainably manage the country’s water resources.
He added that they have also concluded a comprehensive stakeholder’s assessment of the Western Area catchment as well as developed its strategic management plan, formation and operationalization of the inter-ministerial committee for the protection of water resources and the procurement of 25 motorbikes for sustainable management of the Western Area catchment.
He added that they are monitoring the water quality of the Rokel River basin, water pollution issues in other major rivers such as Taia and Sewa, regulating the raw water users and borehole drilling companies.
Engineer Tommy further maintained that with funds from technical expertise provided by Catholic Relief Services, the Agency was finalising modalities for the setting up of the Western Area water funds and the collection of green hydrogen data for the West Africa Science Center for Adapted Land use (WASCAL).
He stressed that the Agency is challenged with inadequate tools and equipment, untimely disbursement of funds, limited staff strength and the provision of adequate resources among others.
Managing Director of the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) Maada S. Kpenge said that amid all the challenges, they have made considerable growth with the start and implementation of key projects that will take the country from slightly less than 60% to 75% access to water supply by 2023.
He went on to note that they have identified all the long term strategic projects as well as medium term projects aimed at bringing universal access to water by 2028.
On her part, the Deputy Minister of Information Mamadi Ngobeh Kamara said that over the years the provision of adequate water supply in the Freetown as well as in other parts of the country has been a challenged, for which the Minister of Water Resources has been working with other key partners in the implementation of policies and also giving Guma Valley Water Company an extended role in providing water supply to the Western Area.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (26/03/21)
