During a media briefing recently held by the Ministry of Civic Education and Information, Dr Sao Kpato Water Resources and Sanitation Minister Hannah Isatta Macarthy outlined the ministry’s objectives and projects.
Dr. Macarthy has identified the appropriate coordination of transboundary water management agreements between Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone as one of the primary priorities. The minister underlined how crucial it is to guarantee that Sierra Leone gets its fair part from the shared water systems in the area. Additionally, Dr Macarthy brought up the negative effects of human activity on the environment, especially in the Western Area Peninsula’s Green Belt and other regions of the nation. In addition to harming the environment, practices like burning charcoal, mining stones, and encroaching into water catchment areas are also decreasing the amount of water resources available for the expanding population.
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Water Resources Management Agency, and the National Protected Area Authority are just a few of the government departments, agencies, and partners with whom the ministry is working to address this issue and safeguard the nation’s forests and water catchment areas. In addition, the National WASH Outcomes Surveys in Schools were just introduced by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in association with the Ministries of Basic and Senior Secondary Schools and Health. The ministry has also launched the National WASH Management System, which attempts to gather essential data for planning and decision-making.
The ministry is currently conducting procurement procedures for important activities in the Western Area and across the nation to improve sanitation and water supply. In addition to the National Water Resources Management Agency, the Guma Valley Water Company, the Sierra Leone Water Company, the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, local councils, and partners, Dr. Macarthy reiterated her commitment to collaborating with these sector agencies. Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to guarantee universal access to water supply and sanitation by 2030, will be the focus of their combined efforts.
