By: Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations
On Monday 22nd March, 2021, the Vice President of Sierra Leone Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio, the Government and people of Sierra Leone lauded the American Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for providing sleep to traumatized parents, who have not been sleeping for lack of water supply. Vice President Jalloh thanked the American Government for providing water to over forty thousand resident of Kingtom and Aberdeen communities through the Millenium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program. Vice President Jalloh recalled his engagement together with the former CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation with beneficiaries of the water kiosk, that was handed over to the Aberdeen community last year. The Honourable Vice President explained that the beneficiaries informed him and the Millennium Challenge Corporation former boss about the absence of pipe borne water in the Aberdeen community for over eleven years. He further explained about the remark of a female beneficiary called Kadija that “she was going to sleep because of the opening of the water kiosk that will supply water to the community”. The Vice President made the commendation during the handing over ceremony of the Guma Valley Water Company District Metering Area, Pipe Rehabilitation and Kiosk Demonstration Project at Kingtom in Freetown.
Vice President Jalloh believed that the transition from Threshold to Compact Program will enable the Government of Sierra Leone to lay solid foundation that will address water crisis in Freetown. Dr. Jalloh informed the audience about the establishment of Special Task Force on water catchment area by the Government of Sierra Leone, he added that the task force is working and will soon present it report for Government to act on. He therefore cautioned people who build around water catchment area to face tougher action when caught.
Vice President Jalloh reminded the Kingtom residents of their responsibilities to pay for the water service, and to look after the facility. The Honourable Vice President encouraged the Kingtom people to pay minimal fees for the water, so as to enable Guma Valley to maintenance the facility. Similarly, Vice President Jalloh called on Guma Valley to keep and maintain the facilities, and to ensure that the facility continues to deliver water to the community.
The Honourable Vice President informed the participants about President Bio’s commitment to address water crisis in Freetown. Vice President Jalloh is hopeful that water crisis will be addressed in few years. He noted that water crisis in the city will become a thing of the past as soon as Sierra Leone transitions to Compact Programs.
Mrs. Nimatulai Bah-Chang, Deputy Minister of Water Resources called on all Sierra Leoneans to protect water catchment area to ensure the provision of clean drinking water. She said that the Kingtom water project is one of the interventions of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program which aim to improve water supply services in Freetown. She told the gathering that the project cost over four million United States Dollars. She expressed her happiness for the support from the United States Government, and hope that the Compact Program will deliver bigger opportunities in the water sector for the Western Area and the country in general.