Sierra Leone: “Short-term impacts or “quick fixes” can no longer be tolerated”
….. President Koroma warns. : BINTUMANI HOTEL, Aberdeen, Freetown, 21 May, 2013/— Water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) has been identified by government under pillar three of the “Agenda for Prosperity” as pivotal in promoting social growth and economic empowerment among Sierra Leoneans.
In this regard, therefore, His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has said at the official opening session of the two-day conference on Water Sanitation and Hygiene at the Bintumani Hotel that short-term impacts or “quick fixes” can no longer be tolerated by government in improving the sector.
“Our country is facing a lot of challenges in meeting its National Water and Sanitation Policy targets. This disturbs me greatly. There is no doubt that the time for more comprehensive and sustained actions is now. And so over the next two days we must review what we (as a sector) have done well and what the remaining challenges are. Most importantly, we must all understand the strong imperative for a new approach to WASH service delivery in light of recent progress. I sincerely hope and believe this new approach will become clearer over the next two days”, said the Chief Executive.
He described challenges faced by the WASH sector as complex, and overcoming them needs clear action oriented policies and programmes, pointing at the challenge of establishing and strengthening government institutions, while simultaneously delivering improved service to the poor at an increased annual rate.
Another key issue that was highlighted by President Koroma is the challenge of adopting new professional approaches so that services provided by government remain permanent and lasting. He observed that there are too many examples of water supply and sanitation projects, providing short-term impacts for a few people.
This, according to President Koroma, is evidenced in the 2012 Water Point Mapping Baseline Survey, which; “I am told, found that 40% of the facilities that we have constructed over the years do not provide permanent services”.
On the challenge of sound monitoring and evaluation data to readjust and realign the country’s intervention in the sector, President Koroma said; “If we do not measure progress towards our national policy targets, it is unlikely we will achieve them”, and added that over the last few years government has provided increased resources through budgetary allocation for the WASH sector in both rural and urban areas.
President Koroma recalled that last year he made various commitments in a statement to the High Level Meeting of the Sanitation and Water for All in Washington DC. These commitments, he said, are duly captured in the “Agenda for Prosperity”, and include among others, the prioritization of WASH in government’s development agenda, allocation of increase budget to the sector to reach 1% of GDP by 2017 from a current 0.35%.
“This year we have allocated Le 56 billion in capital expenditure to the water sector alone, and this will continue to increase in the coming years”, he assured.
In recognition of the importance of water resources to the country’s economic growth, President Koroma decided earlier in his second term to create a dedicated Ministry of Water Resources, and further demonstrate government’s commitment to environmental sanitation, an Environmental Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation be established to give the sub-sector greater visibility and to drive its agenda.
He pledged that government will pursue those reforms that will ensure that facilities provided reflect value for money and are managed efficiently to deliver sustainable services, adding that the WASH sector is working to a common agenda under the direction of national ministries, therefore called for greater collaboration.
The Minister of Water Resources, Momodu Maligie said water and sanitation are key to promoting social growth in the country. According to him, the conference will evaluate progress against set targets, identifying the challenges and opportunities available. “We need an honest discussion on water and sanitation and how objectives can be achieved,” he said.
“Government’s commitment to WASH is unprecedented in the history of Sierra Leone, and the key to achieving our WASH targets is partnership and my ministry will provide the leadership to achieve this”, the dynamic minister of Water Resources said.
The acting Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr Abu Bakarr Fofanah who quoted one of his favourite Professors of Social Medicine, said that health is maintained not because of measures we take when we are ill but because we become ill less often. He said that there is a lot we can we do through health education that can help.
Dr Fofanah said that the ministry will continue to vigorously coordinate with both state and non-state actors to support sanitation, hygiene management and health education. The vision of the MOHS, he said, is to develop a health care delivery system that is capable of providing services that are accessible to all, equitably distributed, and of high quality. He also noted that promotion of environmental sanitation is one of the key strategies the MOHS is employing to achieve its overall vision and objective.
Director of Primary Healthcare, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr Momodu Sesay in his welcome address noted that the conference, jointly hosted by four ministries could not have come at a better time. He said that a lot of efforts have been made by the WASH sector but more needs to be done. He called for more support as they cannot do it alone.
Chairperson of the opening session of the conference, Dr Nana Pratt said in her opening remarks that the reviewing of the performance of the sector was very much fundamental to knowing the challenges facing the sector as well as the opportunities available. She also noted that water and sanitation continue to be a challenge in the country.
Pillar three of the Agenda for Prosperity clearly shows how much importance government places on water and sanitation for the way forward in Sierra Leone. She said that the conference requires collaborative efforts to move the sector forward as non-clarity of roles and responsibilities leading to unnecessary confrontation should be discouraged and avoided at all cost.
The DFID Senior Regional Infrastructure Adviser, Martin Walshe, said water sanitation and hygiene remain a serious challenge in Sierra Leone, saying the conference is important as all need to put hands on deck to strengthen WASH in the country. He also noted that much is still needed to be done to improve the health and welfare of Sierra Leoneans.
Professor Richard Carter, Chairman of Rural Water Supply Network and Professor of International Water Development said in his presentation that Sierra Leone should no longer be described as a post war country as there are different kinds of challenges facing the country now.
He called for a change of attitudes with help from NGOs and civil society. Creation of an environment where public attitudes will flourish; changing the attitudes of public servants; coordinated WASH activities at the local council level; commitment of politicians, NGOs, Civil Society, International Agencies etc. were among the main challenges highlighted by Dr Carter. The conference, he said, will come out with a set of realistic, measurable and achievable commitments for the way forward for WASH in Sierra Leone. – By State House Communications Unit
