Water Aid Regional Head, call for reportage at all levels on water and sanitation.

By: Berttee Forkpabio

The head of the regional office for Water Aid in Dakar ,Senegal madam Marime Dem has underscored the need for journalists of the National WASH networks to be present at all discussion when leaders are discussing policy that will make an impact on the nation’s development.

According to Dakar regional head, journalist need to be proactive in their reportage in amplifying the voices of the poor and hold their leaders to an account for ever commitment signed unto. Something she said it was important for strong citizens to demand for the rights of the people and call duty bearers to provide the rights of the people at national, regional and globally.

Madam Dem said Journalists are the best people to ensure that the voices of the people are heard and leaders of the people who have committed their support can be put to tax by their voices.

Madam Dem noted that during her visit at the UN high level on the post MDGs 2015 meeting, WASH journalists was lacking which was disappointing for her. Something she said was a challenge that they as partners needed to work on to ensure that the visibility of WASH journalists be seem at all time when leaders are discussing developmental issues of countries situations especially as it relates to WASH issues.

However, Water Aid regional head said it is dissatisfying to know that women are still struggling to have access to improved water and sanitation and that journalists who are to raise the awareness on water, sanitation issues are lacking of support at all levels.

Speaking at the West African Water and sanitation journalists network third bi-annual general meeting in Dakar, senegal, madam Dem call on the national networks to be more vigilant as duty bearers to Forster the cause of WASH at all time.

For his part, The senior outreach Communication officer for water supply and sanitation Collaborative Council have acknowledge the important role journalists play over the two year since the existence of the West African WASH Networks.

Mr. David Trouba noted that journalists are great people who have the ability to rise the issues of water and sanitation at all levels and hold stakeholders, international partners to account for ever commitment they have signed unto.

The senior outreach Communication officer for water supply and sanitation Collaborative Council said achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene WASH journalists need to be present at all levels to ensure that the remaining 2.5 million lives can be save and yield to £150 billion a year for the global economy.

Something he believe that journalists reportage on WASH will mean Everyone Everywhere will have access to improved drinking water sources under the MDG on environmental sustainability, which nation target to significantly improve the lives of least 100 million slum-dwellers by 2020.

According to the release of Water Aid, While progress has been made rapidly in urbanization , it

means that interventions to improve basic services are being outpaced by the growth in

demand, and gains for the world’s current slum-dwellers may be rapidly undone.

The 3-day exercise was held from April 8-10, 2013 at the ONOMO Hotel which brought together 36 WASH participants from the 14 West African Countries and partners to discuss the way forward of the Network.

$8 million Water Project: 300 taps for Kambia

By Mustapha Sesay, Water and Sanitation Media Network Sierra Leone

Residents of Kambia Town, northern Sierra Leone have commended the Government of Sierra Leone for providing them with pipe -born water after forty years to address the acute shortage of water and reduce the spread of water born diseases.

The Kambia Water Supply Project was made possible through a grant -aid from the people of Japan as a token of friendship and corporation to the tune of eight million dollars through the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).

ALWACO and JICA Officials testing some of the taps in Kambia Town

Officers of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO), the Contractor of the Kambia Water Supply Project Dai Nippon Construction Japan and the Consultants from Eight-Japan Engineering Consultants Incorporated have ended a working visit to the completed Kambia Water Supply Project, installed distribution network and staff quarters.

Briefing the delegation the SALWACO Kambia District Engineer Yankuba Tarawalley said the Kambia water supply project is now ready for use by the local authorities.

He said the source of water for the Kambia Water Supply Project is the Kollenten River, which provides a treated water of 1,200 cubic meters of water per day to an elevated tank of 400 cubic meters.

The SALWACO Engineer said the project constructed three hundred taps of one hundred stand post at a distance of 100 meters range, he added that the 2,300 household have also been registered to enable them benefit from the pipe born water.

 The JICA project Manager Kazumi Matsuda said the Kambia water treatment plant and its distribution network has state of the art technologies that ensure the delivery of safe drinking water to households.

He said the treatment plant has an automated system that diagnosis faults on the machinery as local staff will also be trained on the use and maintenance of the Kambia water supply facilities to ensure sustenance of the project.

The Ag. Director General of SALWACO Victor Hastings Spaine after a conducted tour of the facilities said the Kambia Water Supply Project is one of the best in the country and calls on Kambia residents to embrace the project.

He said SALWACO will provide seed money for the commencement of water distribution within the Kambia Township for a period of three months and called on the Kambia Local Council and the water management Board to support the project.

The Ag. Director General of SALWACO Victor Hastings Spaine also stated that his company will also provide technical and managerial assistance towards the Kambia water supply project and also promised to construct toilet facilities within the project site.

The Chairman of the Kambia Water Supply and Sanitation Board Ibrahim S. Njai said the people of Kambia have not received pipe born water for the past forty years and assured that the water project will be sustained for the benefit of residents.

He appealed to the Management of SLWACO for a continued support towards the water supply project and to also train the technical staff of the project for the use and maintenance of the facilities.

Mr. Ibrahim S. N’jai also appealed for transportation in the areas of vehicles or motor bikes as the Kambia water supply project site is a long distance from the township.

The Chief Administrator of the Kambia District Council Victor Kalie Kamara expressed thanks and appreciation to the government of Japan and SALWACO for their support and pledged council’s determination to provide a subsidy towards the water project to ensure its sustenance.

A resident of Kambia Town who runs the council’s restaurant Adama Turay said the Kambia water supply project is a blessing to the district as they have been suffering to get pipe born water for years which also costs them a lot of money to buy packet water for drinking and domestic use at their homes.

She said they are willing to pay for the pipe –born water provided by the Kambia Water Supply Project as it will reduce the financial burden on families and also deaths on water born disease related ailments.

 This article is produced by Water and Sanitation Media Network, Sierra Leone Chapter in partnership with West Africa WaterAid and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.