Liberia: WASH Commission Calls for Holistic Fight in Achieving SDG

Monrovia – The Chairman of the National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission (NWASHC), Bobby Whitfield, said for Liberia to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of 2030, the area of WASH should be taken seriously.

The NWASHC Chairman made the statement during the first WASH sector coordination meeting held at the old LIBTELCO building on 18^th Street, Sinkor.

The Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Commission Act was approved and printed into law in 2017.

The WASH Commission Act, supported by the government, along with development partners, seeks to ensure vibrant water, sanitation and hygiene in the country.

WASH sector coordination meeting brought together both local and international partners in the sector.

The sector coordination meeting followed a three-day Strategic Planning Workshop that was held last November in Gompa City, Nimba County.

The strategic meeting was to develop a five-year road map for the sector.

But speaking during the sector coordination meeting, the Chairman of NWASHC called for a holistic fight to improve the sector.

 “WASH is everybody’s business. Whether you are in here or you are out there, WASH is equally your business. If Liberia should succeed in obtaining the sustainable development goals, WASH is a key pillar in doing so,” Whitefield stressed.

He promised that his leadership is poised to take the sector from where it was prior to his ascendency as chairman.

“We are clothed with the authority to set the standard. We can no longer sit and watch our people go to the market and purchase water to get sick,” Whitefield said. He added: “We cannot sit by and look at one service provider and say it is your responsibility to clean the rubbish from the streets; we cannot do that any longer. So as regulator of this sector, we will be working with you our partners and we look forward to all what you got to make this sector vibrant.”