Margibi County – OXFAM-Liberia has broken ground for the commencement of the construction of a modern water station facility for residents of Unification City in Mboo Statutory District, Lower Margibi County.
Representatives of OXFAM along with residents and authorities of Unification City over the weekend performed the launch of the project.
OXFAM is the lead agency of the International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene promotion (WASH) Consortium in Liberia and also involves in delivering both emergency humanitarian assistance and long-term development projects.
OXFAM WASH Program Manager, Kenneh Otieno Awuor told the audience that the construction of a modern water station in Unification City is an extension of his organization ongoing implementation of a two year US$500,000 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene promotion project intended to buttress the government’s agenda in providing safe water and sanitation to the people of Liberia.
Mr. Awuor disclosed that the 64.4 meters depth (224feet) borehole already drilled will have enough and sufficient water in the reservoir of the water station facility.
The facility will also incorporate a chlorination component, and he urged the end users to ensure safe handling and storage of water at household level to minimize contamination.
He said as the mini water supply system, similar to an existing system Oxfam has built in Dolo town, will provide water to over 8,000 residents of the city.
The system is estimated to take between thirty to forty-five days for completion and subsequently sanctioned for usage.
The OXFAM WASH Program Manager revealed that the project is not only focusing on providing safe drinking water for inhabitants of the project catchment areas, but is integrated with health promotion, establishment of school health clubs and construction of gender and user friendly latrines facilities in Margibi and Montserrado Counties.
Mr. Awuor noted that since OXFAM started working with citizens and residents of Dolo Town and Unification City in Lower Margibi County in 2014, his organization has never gotten weary of moving out, but has always remain engaged and committed in sourcing for additional funding to support and expand it water and sanitation activities.
He maintained that as water is life, sanitation is equally dignity to mankind, craving the need for everyone to employ more efforts in the promotion of sanitation through the efforts of tackling open defecation which remains a challenge.
He praised the local authorities of Dolo Town and Unification City for being supportive to the work of OXFAM and expressed the need for them to continually extend cooperation to the activities of his organization, especially on the maintenance and usage of the water facility.
For her part, the Unification City Mayor, Madam Esther G. Kaiwu expressed gratitude to OXFAM-Liberia for considering extending its ongoing provision of water to that part of the city.
She, however, promised the City Corporation and the entire citizenry unwavering supports and commitment in ensuring the successful completion of the Unification City, Mboo Statutory District water station which he described as essential to the residents of a community that often experience flooding.
The Unification City Mayor said that the construction of the modern water station facility will help prevent people from consuming contaminated water, thus aiding to reduce incidents of diarrhea and other water-borne related sicknesses.
Report by Yawah Jaivey, FPA Contributor