Monrovia- The head of the delegation of the National Water Resource Institute (NWRI) has called for women to be empowered in the Water Sanitation hygiene sector since they are knowledgeable about hygiene.
Professor Emmanuel A. Adanu called on the Liberian government to build the capacity of women so as to ensure the efficency of the sector.
He spoke at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management (RC-ITBM) UNESCO- Category 2 Centre and the National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission of Liberia (NWASHCL).
The MOU aims at ehancing collaboration, Cooperation, and Networking in Education, Research, and mainstreaming ecohydrology as it relates to Integrated Water Resources management at the Basin level through the development of joint initiative and actions.
The MOU will allow NWASHV and RC-IRBM to promote their own interest while considering the mandate of the others.
Areas to focus on are facilitating exchanges of staffs, hosting each other’s staff as department visitors among others.
Prof. Adanu asked the Government to take control of the sector which will create jobs, while stressig the need for capacity building.
Bobby Whitefield, CEO National WASH Commission, said though there are challenges in Liberia WASH sector, the commission is prepared to rely on international knowledge to improve.
He disclosed that the commission lacks technical staffs, office space and funding.
He also applauded President George Weah for appointing officials to the WASH Commission.
He
said WASH is crucial to the sustaining a healthy environment, assuring that the
commission will work for a functional WASH sector.
“With the WASH Commission, the team is determined to bring in the program
that will help strengthen Liberia’s sanitation sector,” Commissioner
Whitfield said.
“We will engage investors and partners overseas to help both financially
and with equipment to clean communities across Liberia”.
According to commissioner Whitfield, in the absence of safe drinking water, the
country’s population is at risks with diarrheal, chloride, and preventable
water bond diseases.
He added that the WASH sector would closely work with other government institutions
including the Environmental Protection Agency and city governments to provide a
sanitary environment for all Liberians.
“We will engage investors overseas to help turn waste into electricity
which will add values to our mission at the WASH commission,” he said.
At the same, he expressed regret that although Liberia is one of the wettest countries in the world it still imports water.
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