By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation (MWRS) has completed the Freetown Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan and Investment Studies for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, according to Deputy Secretary, Raymond S. Komba while presenting the ministry’s FY 2025-2027 budget at the Ministry of Finance’s Bilateral Budget discussion on the 20th August, 2024.
Komba spoke of increased access to safe drinking water system from catchment to the consumer, capacity- building on solar powered boreholes, and operational maintenance
He said their key deliverables for FY 2024 is to coordinate and collaborate with different stakeholders and sector players and to improve on and conduct water quality testing & analysis in Laboratories nationwide.
He mentioned their intention to do a feasibility study and detailed design report for Port Loko city, Koindu, Pendembu, Segbwema and Bunumbu. He also said that the ministry would seek to ensure compliance with standards during implementation of WASH facilities in health centres, schools and communities. He further said that they have merged Sanitation with the water ministry and improved access to general health services.
Highlighting challenges the ministry faced for FY 2024, the Deputy Secretary mentioned environmental challenges associated with water catchment areas and the creation of a departmental budget line for the Directorate of Environmental Sanitation in the ministry.
For FY 2025, among the many deliverables the ministry wants to achieve is to ensure compliance with standards during implementation of WASH facilities at health centres, schools and communities and improve household sanitation, hygiene practices and general public health. In conclusion, the MWRS requested the Ministry of Finance to kindly approve the Non-salary, Non-interest Recurrent expenditure for the sum of NLE 7,100,675.00 (seven million, one hundred thousand, six hundred and seventy-five New Leones).
MWRS aims to integrate and effectively manage all water resources and sanitation in Sierra Leone so as to significantly contribute to the reduction of poverty through increased access to potable water and sanitation services for domestic, commercial, industrial and other uses.
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