By Abass Jalloh
The Government of Sierra Leone has authorized nine (9) ministries to handle issues concerning water catchments, mangroves, and forest reserves, all directed at water management in the Western Area, Freetown. This was disclosed at a press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communications in Freetown on Thursday 10 March 2022.
The inter-ministerial committee will comprise representatives from Ministry of Water Resources; Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and Environment; Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources; Ministry of Works and Public Assets; Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Defense; and Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Minister of Water Resources, Philip Karimu Lansana told journalists that the objective of the process is “to restore the lost environment” in the face of the disappearance of most of the mangroves and forests due to human activities. He said the environmental problems will be checked by the inter-ministerial committee.
The minister added that they had engaged the communities where some of these activities had been taking place to ensure that they work with them “so that these activities will be checked or stopped”, adding that they had also included physical demarcations of the catchment areas.
Citing the dangers or threats to Freetown’s water supply, the Managing Director of the Guma Valley Water Company, Maada Kpange said deforestation, housing and development, quarry blasting, illegal farming, and rampant bush fires are among the effects.
He said the practice of deforestation had led to the increase in sunlight, evaporation, erosion, and degraded the potential of water supply. He also said that the increased activities related to marijuana cultivation in some areas had led to chemicals posing threat to the dams.
He added that the main Guma Dam and Reservoir account for ninety-five percent (95%) of the water supply to Freetown, adding that the catchments provide benefits such as a source of raw quantity and quality water, gravity-based with low cost of operations.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, David Maurice Panda-Noah, was keen on the security and challenges of the water catchments areas where he said some people had created into a source of livelihood.
“As Sierra Leoneans, if we are really nationalistic and patriotic, our water catchments, mangroves, forests, should be healthier to us. In many cities in the world where you go today, they have areas left for greenery and issues related to good air, but in Sierra Leone, we do the opposite,” Panda Noah pointed out.
He highlighted the need to avoid a situation where Sierra Leone becomes a desert, and warned Sierra Leoneans building or operating in these water catchment areas to stop, so as to avoid future destruction of lives and properties.
It would be recalled that Politico last Monday 7th March 2022 carried out an in-depth report on the acute water shortage in various parts of especially suburban Freetown and some parts of the central area. Residents explained about the difficulties they face accessing water including the amount of time and money they spend purchasing water in jerry cans for cooking and other domestic chores.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (14/03/22)
