By Tilly Barrie
The civil society Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Network (WASHNet) Sierra Leone has called one of the country’s water companies, SALWACO to provide clean drinking water for rural communities in much the same way councils are mandated by Local Government Act of 2004.
Ansumana Soko, a member of WASHNet told a press conference in Freetown that local councils and the water company should stop the blame game and partner to provide the "badly-needed" resource for the rural people.
“Water is an equally politically sensitive resource" he said, adding: "We have met with the African Development Bank to help in the monitoring process”. He said that only about 57% of Sierra Leoneans had access to water.
Executive Secretary of the network, Victor Lansana Koroma, said that they were vigilantly monitoring SALWACO’s activities because water should be made available across the districts. He said they wanted to expand on their activities in the country and ensure that people had access to quality and safe drinking water.
Koroma said they would rely on a proactive media in the country, and praised the Liberian media for the coverage on the activities of WASHNET. He encouraged people to pay for water services and discouraged the idea that water comes from God and should therefore be free.
Robert Kondema Kargbo, National Director Health Network Sierra Leone, said the money allocated to water was very small, especially for water facilities in the rural areas. He said they would engage government on the need to give more money to SALWACO to do their work.
(C) Politico 07/01/14
