Liberia: Gov’t, Partners Advocate for Water Conservation

The government, through the National WASH Commission, in collaboration with WaterAid Liberia, and UNICEF, on Friday celebrated World Water Day in Monrovia by supporting a series of events aimed at engaging youth and advocating for greater water conservation and cooperation.

World Water Day, an annual United Nations observance, highlights the importance of fresh water and promotes its sustainable usage, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensuring Water and Sanitation for All. This year's theme, "Water for Peace," underscores the role of water cooperation in fostering stability and sustainable development.
Thomas A. Goshua, Representative for Grand Bassa County District #5 and Chairman of the WASH Legislative Caucus, emphasized the significance of World Water Day in raising awareness about the importance of water. Despite Liberia's abundant water resources, Rep. Goshua acknowledged challenges in accessing safe drinking water, especially in rural areas.
"I represent a rural district, and we still face challenges in accessing safe drinking water in electoral district #5 in Grand Bassa County. That's why I'm advocating for universal access to safe drinking water," he said. "The lack of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is contributing to low life expectancy in Liberia."

Rep. Goshua stressed the need for collaborative efforts between the government and its partners to address these challenges and ensure access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for all Liberians. He emphasized that the government should be prepared to assume responsibility for providing these essential services if donor partners withdraw their support.
"As we observe this day, let's work together to provide not only safe drinking water but also education on sanitation and hygiene to improve our life expectancy and support our rural population," urged the lawmaker from Grand Bassa County.
In his remarks, Chuchu Selma, Country Director of WaterAid Liberia, expressed gratitude for the participation in the day's events and highlighted WaterAid's commitment to ensuring water access for all in Liberia since its establishment in 2009.
Selma emphasized the importance of collaboration with international partners in strengthening local organizations and promoting WASH initiatives across Liberia.

"We appreciate the contributions of all organizations promoting WASH in Liberia. Together, we can achieve our common goal," Selma remarked.

Ambassador Bobby Whitefield, outgoing CEO of the National WASH Commission, thanked partners for their support over the past six years. He highlighted achievements in improving water and sanitation access across various counties in Liberia, attributing successes to collaboration with organizations such as UNICEF, WaterAid, and USAID.
Whitefield underscored the importance of reaching every citizen with WASH services, urging the incoming leadership to prioritize this goal.

He also called upon the student population to actively participate in national WASH efforts, emphasizing WASH as a collective responsibility and a human right.

Whitefield urged all stakeholders to depoliticize WASH and focus on collaborative efforts to ensure universal access to water and sanitation facilities for every Liberian citizen.

Meanwhile, the organizers also used the occasion to present an award and cash prize to Mori A. Kaba of Muslim Congress who won the 2024 World Water Day Best Essay Competition.

He received a cash prize during a national program organized by the WASH Commission on Friday, March 22, 2024, while his institution received a trophy.

Remarks were also made by Andrew Brooks, Country Representative of UNICEF to Liberia, Ms. Wynita Gwaikolo, Acting Director of Hydrological Service at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, CSOs representative Timothy Kpeh, among others.