LIBERIA: GoL to Hold 4th WASH joint sector review
……………Discloses the need for a one WASH Plan – By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – The Liberian Government has announced the holding of the 4th Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Joint Sector Review. The Joint Sector Review looks at challenges, successes and prospects in the WASH sector of Liberia.
GOL, WASH CSOs and Development Partners posting after a major JSR Press conference
The sector review this year is aimed at formulating a one plan for water, sanitation and hygiene across the country.
Speaking during a press conference Thursday, Deputy Public Works Minister for Rural Development, Benjamin Banto, said over the last decades Joint Sector Reviews have emerged as a way of coordinating stakeholders in a particular sector.
Mr. Banto said the JSR is a joint learning process, data gathering decision making and for building consensus.
He noted that Joint Sector Reviews are one of the few country-level mechanisms that can bring about mutual accountability at the country level.
Deputy Public Works Minister, Benjamin Banto announcing the pending 4th WASH Joint Sector Review
Deputy Minister Banto revealed that the Government of Liberia has been unable to host the WASH Joint Sector Review for the past three years because of the lack of funding.
According to him, in countries like Liberia where multiple donors are financing WASH and are not providing general budget support, Joint Sector Reviews are one of the few country-level mechanisms that can bring about mutual accountability at the country level.
The Deputy Public Works Minister for Rural Development said that Joint Sector Reviews offer hope for strengthening governance and increasing impact.
WaterAid Liberia:Sierra Lone Deputy Country Director, Chuchu Selma making remarks at the press conference
Also speaking, UNICEF Liberia Deputy Country Representative, Samuel Mawunganidze, said it is a great honour for his organization to be a part of the 4thJSR of the water, sanitation and hygiene sector of Liberia.
Mr. Mawunganidze said the issue of safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene is key to the economic growth of any nation.
He said UNICEF as an institution with focus on the welfare of children, it is incumbent on the organization to prioritize the needs of children which of course water, sanitation and hygiene is no exception.
The UNICEF Country Representative called on the Coalition for Democratic Change-led government to place WASH into a Pro-Poor Agenda ensuring that WASH services reach the poorest of the poor, especially children and women in Liberia.
Also making remarks, WaterAid Liberia-Sierra Leone Deputy Country Director, Chuchu Selma, described the holding of the 4thJoint sector Review as an opportunity for sector actors to assemble to discuss issues in the sector.
Mr. Selma said his organization has been working in Liberia with WASH actors since 2009 to ensure that service delivery is improved and that basic WASH facilities provided to the poorest of the poor in Liberia.
He said people living with disabilities are amongst the poorest of the poor, as such government of Liberia Pro-Poor Agenda should prioritize the WASH needs of the poorest of the poor in Liberia.
Int’l and local WASH partners at the press conference, at the Public Works Ministry-Monrovia
Commenting on behalf of the Monrovia City Government, the City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee pledged the support of the Monrovia City Corporation to the holding of the Joint Sector Review.
Mayor Koijee also commended WASH actors including Civil Society Organizations and international partners for been supportive of the sector review.
He said the review supports the government of Liberia Pro-Poor Agenda in line with the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services to the unprivileged community and the society at large.
Mayor Koijee used the occasion to call on President George Weah to make official appointments to the WASH Commission.
In a related development, A WASH Civil Society actor, George Karyah, described the Joint Sector Review as a tool in founding a way forward in the sector.
Mr. Karyah agreed that the JSR should be held by the government of Liberia, but also stressed the need for the appointment of Commissioners to the newly established WASH Commission.
He said fragmentation remains a challenge in the sector and as such, putting in place a governance structure would immensely alleviate all the huddles in the sector.
Meanwhile, the government of Liberia has expressed gratitude to international donors and local actors for being supportive of the JSR Process.
The 4th Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Joint Sector Review is expected to be held in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa bringing together WASH actors from the 15 political sub-divisions of the country.
The 2-day event will be held on May 10 and 11, 2018.
The objective of the JSR according to the Liberian government, is to identify and agree on sector priorities by reviewing the progress against key strategic plans and reflecting on sector performance.
The output will be a presentation on the undertakings for fiscal Year 2018/2019.
