The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) has officially launched its five-year Strategic Plan, a comprehensive roadmap designed to boost operational efficiency, expand access to clean water, and improve sanitation services across Liberia.
The plan aligns with the Government’s Arrested Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and outlines concrete targets for service delivery between 2025 and 2029.
The launch ceremony, held at the Ministry of Public Works in Monrovia, brought together senior government officials, representatives of the diplomatic corps, civil society, the business community, development partners, and the LWSC Board of Directors.
Minister of Finance and Development Planning Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, serving as Chief Launcher, praised the LWSC for taking a deliberate and structured approach to development. He likened the plan to an architectural blueprint a necessary foundation before any sustainable progress can be achieved.
“Great achievements start with great plans,” Minister Ngafuan said. “This is not just LWSC’s plan; it is our national plan, our people’s plan. If we succeed, Liberia wins. If we fail, the communities we serve will suffer.”
The Minister highlighted key targets in the plan, including: Increasing household water connections from 15,000 in 2024 to 30,000 by 2029, Doubling sewer connections from 1,560 to 3,000, Improving revenue collection efficiency from 57% to 95%, Reducing government subsidy dependency from 50% to no more than 20%. Ngafuan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the LWSC in achieving these goals, stating, “We will not be spectators in this game. We will be partners in action.” “Let us go out there,” Ngafuan said, “and make this dream a reality. God bless all of us. Let’s get to work.”
LWSC Managing Director Mohammed Ali, giving an overview of the strategic plan’s development process explained that upon taking office, the leadership discovered the previous plan (2018–2023) had expired without being finalized.
LWSC, with initial sponsorship from UNICEF, engaged Wutuvi Consultancy Firm led by Liberian experts Mr. Isaac Vah Tukpeh and Dr. Joe Baysah to design the new plan.
The total cost of preparing the plan was approximately US$80,000, with implementation projected to require US$156.6 million over the next five years. The plan outlines investments in water infrastructure, sanitation improvements, and urban service expansion, with a strong focus on sustainability and alignment with national development priorities.
Cameroonian Ambassador to Liberia, Beng’yela Augustine Gang, commended Liberia’s focus on water infrastructure, drawing on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous line “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” to describe Africa’s paradox of water abundance but limited access.
“This is the story of Liberia and the continent,” Ambassador Gang said. “We are surrounded by water, yet safe drinking water remains scarce. As industrialization and pollution grow, our people lose access to one of life’s most basic rights. Your strategic plan is a necessary tool to reverse this trend.”
He applauded the LWSC for choosing a modest but functional venue over an expensive hotel, calling it “a sign of realism” and a wise use of public resources. He also urged the corporation to extend reliable supply to all communities including diplomatic enclaves and described water as “the most democratic gift a government can give its people.”
The strategic plan is directly linked to the AAID’s Program Policy Nine, ensuring it is not only a sectoral roadmap but also a key pillar of Liberia’s national development strategy. As the event concluded, stakeholders expressed optimism that, with strong technical planning, political support, and community cooperation, Liberia’s water sector could see transformative change by 2029.