Saturday, July 26, 2025

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Champions National Water Security and WASH Access Improvement Project

On Tuesday, 8th July 2025, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Isata Macarthy, took center stage at the official launch of Sierra Leone’s Multi-Phase WASH Programmatic Approach at the Bintumani Conference Center, a landmark initiative supported by the World Bank that is set to transform access to water, sanitation, and hygiene across the country, underscoring the nation’s commitment to dignity, equity, and sustainable development.

Making a presentation at the ceremony presided over by President Julius Maada Bio, Minister Macarthy laid out the government’s ambitious roadmap to reach 4 million Sierra Leoneans with clean water and improved sanitation by 2035.

With clarity and resolve, she detailed the three-phase rollout that will serve urban, peri-urban, and rural populations, reinforcing the program’s inclusive and data-driven design.

“This is not guesswork,” the Minister said. “We’ve used diagnostics, sector assessments, and extensive stakeholder input to craft a national strategy rooted in evidence, equity, and impact.”

Minister Macarthy’s presentation broke down the program into three key phases:

She said that Phase One will focus on strengthening institutions and making direct investments in the Western Area, with the goal of improving access to clean water and sanitation for one million people. This phase includes building local capacity, enhancing governance, and creating an enabling environment for sustainable WASH services.

According to the Minister, Phase Two will expand the program to secondary cities such as Bo, Makeni, Kenema, and Koidu and will feature a major Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign and deeper sector reforms, aiming to benefit an additional 1.5 million citizens.

Phase Three, according to Dr. Macarthy will target rural communities across Sierra Leone, emphasizing climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable service delivery systems, and behavior change strategies. This final phase is expected to reach another 1.5 million people.

Throughout her presentation, the Minister reiterated a guiding principle: “We want to bring water to the people, wherever they are.”

President Bio, in his keynote remarks, praised the Minister’s leadership in revitalizing a sector once overlooked. He recalled his own childhood struggles with water scarcity and vowed that no Sierra Leonean child should face such hardships again.

“Water is not just life,” the President said. “Water is dignity. Water is survival. With this initiative, we are building a foundation for peace, justice, and resilience.”

Echoing this sentiment, Minister Macarthy warned of growing threats to the country’s water catchment areas, particularly in the Western Area, due to unregulated construction, mining, and environmental degradation

“Protecting these ecosystems is not optional. It is essential,” she stated, calling for joint action among communities, traditional leaders, and government agencies.

Beyond water access, the Minister emphasized major sanitation improvements, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. She noted that liquid waste management is a growing concern identified in recent assessments and that it will be given urgent attention, in collaboration with city councils and district authorities.

Crucially, the Minister highlighted the role of government institutions, civil society, and private partners such as Guma Valley Water Company and SALWACO in ensuring water systems are extended to underserved communities.

“This initiative belongs to all of us,” she said. “It’s a model for future development for how we can work together, across government and society, to meet the needs of our people.”

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