Monrovia – Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector has made a significant leap on the agenda of the House of Representatives as House Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa pledged his unflinching support to the Water Sanitation and Hygiene activities in the country. Speaker Koffa stressed that the sector has made a significant leap on the agenda of the House of Representatives.
The Speaker intimated that Liberia’s national and international commitments to the sector and the establishment of a WASH Standing Committee will be given keen attention under his leadership.
The decision by the Grand Kru District One Representative and leader of the Lower House was taken on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 when an array of CSO, INGO and Chairman of the WASH Legislative Caucus, Grand Bassa County District Five Representative, Thomas A. Goshua paid a courtesy call on him at his Capital Building Office.
Rep. Goshua-led WASH Legislative Caucus has been engaged by civil society organizations and other WASH stakeholders in the country, stressing the need for the establishment of a WASH Standing Committee, which from sector-wide strategic analyses remains an indispensable response to the many challenges faced by the WASH Sector.
Last week, the Caucus, through Rep. Goshua, received a resolution adopted by approximately eighteen civil society organizations and other WASH stakeholders under a USIAD sponsorship, calling for establishment of the WASH Standing Committee at the Legislature. HHh
Styled Corina Resolution, it emerged from a WASH CSO and stakeholder engagement meeting organized by Compassion for Humanity (C4H) Liberia under its project titled ‘Legislative Engagement to Formalize WASH Caucus into Standing Committee’. The project is part of USAID sponsored Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA), which is managed by a consortium of International NGOs led by Population Services International (PSI).
The CWSA has a goal to permanently end open defecation in Liberia. Held on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at the Corina Hotel on 26th Street in Monrovia, the resolution was signed by several key civil society organizations including the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), Liberian National Student Union (LINSU), Mano River Youth Parliament, WASH CSO Network, etc.
Many CSO actors have described the move by Hon. Koffa as a responsible and timely one as the WASH sector is faced with critical challenges ranging from limited political will to support regulatory enforcement to low budgetary appropriation.
Last week, delegates at a one day consultative meeting organized by Compassion for Humanity (C4H) Liberia, with support from the USAID funded Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA) being implemented by consortium of International NGOs led by Population Services International (PSI), specifically focusing on result one which is to Improved Sanitation Governance of the CWSA.
They unanimously committed to advocate and campaign for the establishment of a Standing Committee on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the Liberian Legislature. They agreed to ensure that a Standing Committee on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene is established.
That they will participate in Legislative Engagements to Formalize the WASH Caucus into a Standing Committee within the Legislature with priority of inclusive women, youth and persons in need of special attention as well as other vulnerable persons; that they facilitate the works of the Committee to support WASH oversight and budgetary allocations at the national legislature for adequately meeting the needs of the country.
They also committed and agreed to; promote improved WASH/sanitation governance in the country for reducing the burden of health and economic challenges on the citizens; that the WASH Committee will strengthen the national WASH policy communication to promote sector-wide behavior change; and that the national legislative WASH caucus secretariat be strengthened to ensure continuous championing of WASH issues at the national legislature.
Amongst other things, they agreed that, the government of Liberia, through the standing Committee, will ensure the standardization and regulate activities of the WASH sector; that WASH CSOs, WASH Sector Consortium, and private sector stakeholders lead and support the Standing Committee’s establishment advocacy campaign at the national and subnational levels; that we will facilitate the activities of the WASH Committee to establish countywide WASH campaign for improved national and local water management, sanitation and hygiene behavior change and practices in every part of the country.
They also called on the Government of Liberia, as part of its ARREST agenda under the Sanitation pillar to declare a national emergency on Open defecation and ensure an enabling environment for active private sector participation.