MD GAYE PRESENTS ROADMAP AT AFDB’s WATER SECTOR DIALOGUE

The managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation(LWSC) Hon. G. Alphonso Gaye has presented what is considered a comprehensive roadmap of his Administration of the LWSC to a high power visiting delegation from the African Development Bank (AFDB).

Following the completion of the Country’s water sector profile in 2022, the African Development Bank (AFDB) is undertaking a stakeholder’s dialogue and projects identification mission for potential water and sanitation interventions in Liberia from 5th – 9th June 2023.

The main objective of the mission is to hold dialogue with the sector Institutions, amongst which the Liberia water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) is a part on desired and potential interventions in the water and sanitation sector.

The ongoing Liberia – AFDB sector stakeholder’s dialogue aims to establish the potential pipeline priorities for consideration for the Bank’s future programming and support in Liberia.

Speaking when the visiting AFDB delegation paid him an official visit on Monday, June 5,2023, LWSC Managing Director G. Alphonso Gaye, on behalf of the people of Liberia, thanked the Bank for its continual support to Liberia’s post- war infrastructure especially in the area of water and sanitation.

According to MD Gaye, the interventions of the Bank, notably at the level of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) has come a long way in addressing some grave

post – war sector challenges; noting that these interventions will also go a long way into the post – war recovery history of Liberia.

Making specific reference to key efforts of the African Development Bank (AFDB) in Liberia’s post-war recovery programs, the LWSC boss recounted the Bank’s rehabilitation of the White plains water treatment plant to its pre-war status as well as the construction of three (3) capital Improvement Projects in Kakata, Zwedru and Buchanan cities as well as the construction of mini water facilities in the Soul clinic and New Georgia communities.

“These projects have all been tremendously pivotal in our recovery drive”; MD Gaye told his donor partners.

Managing Director Gaye alluding to several current challenges and the available space for improvements at the LWSC, stressed that all projects financed by the AFDB have played significant roles in the provision of basic social services to the people of Liberia as well as in driving the country’s post-war recovery agenda.

The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) boss, who then went on to provide his Administration’s roadmap to his bilateral partner, highlighted supplying safe drinking water, improving sanitation, hygiene and expanding effective management of sewage services across Liberia as major challenges of the Corporation.

According to Managing Director Gaye, the country’s sewage system, constructed in the late 1960s to serve a population of a little over two hundred (200,000), has experienced far lesser support comparatively to the pipe borne water restoration.

He claims the inadequate support to the sewage sector continues to undermine health gains especially personal and environmental sanitation.

“Imagine an old aged infrastructure servicing a population that is way above its useful life span”; MD Gaye asserted.

The LWSC action man noted that the infrastructure’s inability to serve the current over one million population poses grave concerns and challenges to the LWSC.

However, he noted that his Administration has formulated a short term proposal which amongst other things is focused on substantially reducing sewage overflows through manholes in the streets of Monrovia and surrounding communities and expanding water services to the people of Liberia by accelerating water supply to central Monrovia and underserved communities through the regular pumping of purified water to the elevated water towels and city reservoirs.

Managing Director Gaye further revealed to the AFDB representatives that his Administration’s short term proposal includes robustly maintaining water and sewage infrastructure, which guarantees uninterrupted service deliver; thus increasing production and transmission of water from the Water treatment plant.

The LWSC Managing Director asserted that with continual support from Liberia’s bilateral partners including the AFDB, LWSC has the potential to not only sustain itself but to also significantly contribute to national government’s programs and priorities.

Responding to the LWSC managing Director’s comprehensive presentation on his Institution, the AFDB delegation inclusive of its Director for Water Development and Sanitation- Mr. Osward Chanda, Division Manager for West Africa – Mr. Ousseynou Guene, Chief Water Development and Sanitation Officer – Mr. Emmanuel Olet and Principal Water Development and Sanitation Officer – Ms. Janet Atim, commended the LWSC for the presentation and promised to make an official response.

Phase two (2) of the AFDB’s engagement with the Liberia water and Sewer Corporation saw the delegation on a guided tour of the Corporation’s infrastructure across Montserrado county.

Signed

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