Access to Clean Water still a challenge in the North

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson

The 2019 UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) puts Sierra Leone in the low human development category—positioning the country at 182 out of 189 countries and territories.  

This means that a bulk of the population live below the poverty belt despite efforts made by successive governments to transform the lives of citizens for the better. 

The lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity, clean water supply, health care, schools, roads, housing, sanitation, income generating facilities, etc. have negatively impacted the lives of many Sierra Leoneans especially those in rural communities.

Findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as stated in paragraph 249 that: “Even before the start of the civil war, public service delivery had ground to a halt in much of the country. 

The war devastated public infrastructure and almost totally emasculated government’s ability to deliver service to the people. Most Sierra Leoneans do not have access to clean water or consistent power supply’’. 

This situation remains a major challenge as many communities are still struggling to access clean water or consistent power supply. Konsho II village formerly called “Manegre” which is about 8-Kilometer from the heart of Makeni is one of the most deplorable communities in Bombali District Northern Sierra Leone. 

Inhabitants of the area remain highly constrained to access clean and safe drinking water despite being the hub for water supply in the Northeastern regional headquarter town of Makeni, indigenes have confirmed.

With support from the Media Reform Coordinating Group-Sierra Leone (MRCG-SL) and the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF) towards this piece, it has been revealed that previous efforts by World Hope and the Bombali District Council have not proven quite successful to end the crisis in the area.

The water-well that was constructed by World Hope is now dilapidated, and the unfinished work of John Sanghai Koroma the Chairman of the Bombali District Council who started the construction of another water-well in the village since 2017 remains a death trap for children in the community. 

“The Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has assured us several years ago that they will provide us with clean and safe drinking water upon completion of the water supply and sanitation project jointly funded by the Government of Sierra Leone, OPEC Fund for International Development and the Africa Development Bank Group in March 2015, but they are yet to fulfill that promise.  

This has exposed the community to acute scarcity of clean water. Acting Section Chief of Mabanta section in the Gbanti Chiefdom Pa Santigie Lemp-Lemp Kanu said.

He added that SALWACO constructed latrines in the village but has since failed to provide tap-water apart from a water-well they constructed for temporal use but that too is in abeyance. 

“Access to clean water is a fundamental human right and my people should not be exempted from enjoying such right. That is why I’m sending a blanket appeal to our local council representatives, SALWACO and Non-governmental organizations to come to our aid and help our people with safe drinking water.” He stated.

“Although our village is naturally endowed with a flowing river, we have never accessed purified water to drink since my days as a toddler’’, 53-year-old Ya Isatu Fornah said.

She continued that the river in their village which is now a reservoir for the SALWACO water dam was where they used to fetch water for the purposes of drinking, bathing, cooking and laundering until 2013 when SALWACO constructed hand pump water-well for them.

“Since then, we were told not to go near the reservoir but to make use of the newly constructed water-well that is currently decrepit. Since last December, there is no water in the well and this has adversely affected our households, and at the same time exposed our children to cholera’’ , she explained.

Authorities at SALWACO said the ground work to construct taps for pipe borne water in the village had begun in 2016 but that they have been challenged with finances to complete the much-needed work in the village.

The current situation at Konsho II village and communities with similar needs calls for a developmental revamp that will help to improve access to pure water and other basic social services. 

The primary aim of local governments must be to facilitate progressive social and economic development of local communities and to ensure access to essential services that are affordable as pointed out in paragraph 254 of the TRC recommendations. If this is achieved, it will help immensely to promote transitional justice in Sierra Leone. 

This story was produced by the Media Reform Coordinating Group-Sierra Leone (MRCGSL) with Support from the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF).