The Acting Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), Moseray Momoh, has assured that the LWSC will assiduously manage the provision of safe-drinking water in order to support the national revenue coffers.
Speaking during the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project on Friday, August 20, 2021, held at the Fish Market, MD Momoh appreciated the World Bank Group on behalf of the government and people of Liberia for their tireless effort in providing financial support to the Government of Liberia (GOL), noting that the implementation of the project is a clear manifestation of the government’s Pro- poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development on the delivery of safe and affordable water supply in Liberia.
The Liberia Urban Water Supply Project (LUWSP), a US$8 million credit financed by the World Bank, was ratified in 2016 and commenced implementation in 2017. The project scope is to rehabilitate the existing water network, as well as expand the network into new un-served areas.
Under the intervention, approximately 90 kilometers of new pipes were laid, and 3,080 new customer connections were added to the Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation’s network. About 63 water kiosks were constructed within an estimated target of 63,000 direct project beneficiaries for the entire project. The new places targeted include SKD, Duport Road, GSA Road, RIA Highway, Neezoe, Redlight, Gobachov Market, Wood Camp, Zayzay Community, Kesselly Boulevard, Coca Cola Factory, Kakata Highway, Whein Town Community, Johnsonville, Barnesville, Nicklay Town, Chicken Soup Factory as well as several communities in and around Monsterrado County. During the scoping of the project, the Government of Liberia (GOL) saw the need to ensure that safe-drinking water reaches every segment of the populated central Monrovia, as well as improves water delivery to Paynesvillie and its surrounding.
During the scoping process, the Government of Liberia (GOL) engaged the World Bank, which culminated into the provision of additional financing under the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project (LUWSP) to finance three additional projects: the construction of an express waterline between Fish Market and the Newport Street booster-borne water, which will ensure continued safe-drinking water supply to Monrovia; the construction of a one-million gallon reservoir to provide continued water supply to the entire Paynesvillie; as well as the construction of a new transmission line from White Plains to Monrovia.
The ground breaking ceremony is a fulfillment of the implementation of the first two of the three projects. At the completion of the first two projects, it is expected that at least 22,000 new customers will be added in the Paynesville areas, and approximately 170,000 persons will have benefited from water supply. In addition, about 88,000 persons will have been touched in central Monrovia and its surrounding.
Also speaking at the occasion, Khwimma Nthara, World Bank-Liberia Country Director office, congratulated the Government of Liberia (GOL) through the LWSC as well as others who have been engaged in the planning and preparation of the construction of water supply in Monsterrado County and its surrounding.
According to Nthara, the construction of a new express line will provide access to safe and reliable water, improved sanitation and hygiene. He said the World Bank in Liberia believes that water, sanitation and hygiene are critical toward the well-being and productivity of Liberians.
Nthara noted that poor water and sanitation are also detrimental to the development of any people and are major causes of stunting in children. He said the outbreak of acute watery diarrhea is primarily caused by poor water supply, sanitation and hygiene, including water consumption from unprotected sources.
He continued that the World Bank decided to support the Government of Liberia (GOL) through the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project (LUWSP) to address problems faced with in the water and sanitation sector of Liberia. The bank has also provided support to the LWSC and others sectors of Liberia for over the past years, and expressed willingness to continue their support.
Jefferson Koijee, Mayor of the City of Monrovia, read the special statement on behalf of President George Weah. In the statement, President Weah reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to its international partners in addressing the needs of Liberians.
He said the Weah government wishes to see a Liberia where people can live like those in developing countries, where water and other services are provided and are affordable to it citizenry.
The groundbreaking ceremony was well attended by officials of government, including Samuel Tweah, Minister of Finance and Development Planning; Ruth Cooker, Acting Minister of Public Work; Orison Any, Country Director, African Development Bank; Jefferson Koijee, Mayor of Monrovia; Khwimma Nthara, Country Manager, World Bank; Kebbeh Collins, Acting Chairperson, Board of Directors, LWSC; Moseray Momoh, Acting Managing Director, LWSC, among other invitees.