Kakata — Following several decades of trekking long distances to fetch water for cooking, drinking and other purposes, thousands of residents, including women and children of Weala in Cinta Township, Margibi County are now benefitting from the supply of pipe-borne water provided by the proposed Jeety Rubber Liberia Limited Corporation in the county.
It can be recalled that the Government of Liberia, through the 54th National Legislative in December 2021 ratified the Jeety Rubber LLC Investment Incentive Agreement for the production of multiple rubber materials.
The company, which is expected to commence full operations in the country very soon, is owned by renowned Indian business tycoon, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, who is commonly known as "Jeety" in Liberia.
Dr. Sachdeva, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jeety Trading Corporation-a premier importer and distributor in hardware and building materials- and scores of other businesses across the country.
The company constructed three pumps in various communities in Cinta Township as part of its corporate social responsibility to the citizens.
Speaking in an interview with Reporters over the weekend, Cinta Township Commissioner Roland B. Johnson said citizens from Tower Hill, Methodist, City View, Jacksonville, German Camp, Siafa Town, Peanut, communities, among others are the ones that will greatly benefit from the gesture.
He said prior to the construction of the pumps in the communities, residents were constrained to walk long distances to fetch water for various purposes.
He added that they fetched water from creek and nearby stream, while others spent hugely on purchasing sachets of water for drinking, thereby imposing additional economic burdens on them.
Commissioner Johnson emphasized that some citizens were also drinking from open wells prior to the actualization of the project by "Jeety"
"Mr. Jeety is now providing free water service to communities around here. We have three communities that are benefiting from this project. I referred to Mr. Jeety as our father because, a man who thinks about the livelihood of the people, is considered as a father. Water is life, water restores life and water plays about 80% of the activities in our human movement. So, the one who gives life to the people, we refer to him as a father."
"We had two companies that Mr. Jeety is situated between, including the SRC. They have been playing their part; but for you to see this water project being constructed like this to provide services to our people-this is the first of its kind and we are very pleased and overwhelmed. You know how painful it is for people to still be drinking from wells in this century?"
He observed that government cannot do all alone, but the conducive and peaceful atmosphere being maintained paved the way to attract investments in Weala and other parts of the country.
He pointed out that local authorities of the county have put in place measures to regulate and maintain the three pumps providing running water to re the residents.
Commissioner Johnson disclosed that the pumps will remain open during the morning, afternoon and early evening hours for residents to fetch water, and closed during the late evening hours as part of efforts to safeguard the project.
He noted that as a result of those regulations, the free drinking water project of the Indian businessman will not be abused by the beneficiaries.
"I believed in my own mind that Mr. Jeety is the messiah of Margibi County and he has come to improve the lives of our people. We are going to regulate these projects to make sure that it serves our people properly."
Commissioner Johnson also referenced the construction of a clinic in Weala for the locals by Mr. Jeety and the employment of over 400 workers at the company.
When completed, the 25-bedroom health facility will accommodate more than 55 in-take patients in Weala. It is nearly 95% completed will commence full operations at the end of this year.
It will host an operation theatre, a modernized laboratory, x-ray room, ultra sound, eye treatment room, store room, pharmacy, emergency room, three doctor offices, among others.
"This project is very benefitting to us because, we as women used water 24 hours. Water business here used to be very, very hard and we used to go fetch water from the wells for drinking. The few pumps that were in other communities were restricted and sometimes we even pay money to haul water. But for this Jeety project, it's free and we are so happy for that," an elderly woman stated.
She used the occasion to encouraged Mr. Sachdeva to attract his fellow counterparts to invest in the county.
Mulbaah Williams, a classroom teacher, expressed astonishment over the developmental initiatives that are being undertaken by the company in a short period of time.
He observed that though the company is yet to commence its operations, residents of Weala are overwhelmed with the level of works that have been done thus far.
According to him, the provision of the pipe borne water to thousands of residents will help combat against water borne diseases in the area.
Mr. Williams added that it will also alleviate the risk children go through while fetching water for their parents and others at open wells and faraway places.
"There is a risk of children falling in wells when fetching water; and there is a high risk also of children getting sick as a result of diarrhea and typhoid because of unsafe drinking water. But we are convinced that with this project, those risks will reduce drastically."
Mr. Williams, however, admitted to the cost intensiveness of the project, but made a passionate plea to Mr. Sachdeva to extend the gesture to other communities in the county.
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Also speaking, "Jeety" disclosed that the project was fulfilled to alleviate the constraints the locals were faced with in fetching water.
He pointed out that a sample of the water being gathered from 200ft underneath the earth was sent to Indian for laboratory assessment.
He said the assessment report shows that the water was safe for drinking and other purposes.
Mr. Sachdeva further disclosed that the project is of no cost to the locals.
"I moved in Weala in 2022 and I noticed that the women, children and others will come from far away to fetch water. I made up my mind that I will do something to address this. For the past one month, I installed the system with electricity and generator there to supply them."
"Jeety" further used the occasion to applaud the local authorities and citizens for their cooperation.
He, however, vowed to extend similar gesture to other communities in the future.
At the same time, the top Indian businessman has provided food and assorted items to Muslims of seven mosques in Margibi and Bong counties ahead of the climax of the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan.
He encouraged the beneficiaries to continue to render prayers for the nation, government and people of Liberia.
The beneficiaries commended "Jeety" for the donation and promised to always remember him in their prayers.
