Monrovia — More than 36 lawmakers of the 55th House of Representatives have signed up and vowed to support activities that will improve the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector.
The lawmakers said the WASH sector appears to be the most popular but poorly supported.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas P. Fallah, is among the lawmakers calling for improvement in the WASH sector.
He has expressed concerns over what he termed as the slow pace at which the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector functions and being managed with an urgent need for the Government of Liberia to demonstrate more commitment to better manage and support the sector.
As a result, Fallah said there is limited funding, weak coordination, and outdated policies, technical capacity, and fragmented mandates for sector institutions that tend to jeopardize the effectiveness of the sector.
The Deputy Speaker also challenged donors to be more truly open and transparent in their investment, and stressed that the 55th Legislature will, going forward, demand more accountability from sector actors, mainly the donor community, whose claims of contributions to the WASH sector are usually alarming and cause for crosschecking.
He spoke at a one-day retreat in Monrovia on Friday, March 8, 2024, by the WASH Legislative Caucus, marked by a review of their work plan, adaptation of an annual plan, learnings, and reflection between former and current caucus members. The ceremony was attended by key water, sanitation, and hygiene ministers, development partners, and civil society institutions.
The pro-WASH civil society organization, United Youth for Peace, Education and Transparency in Liberia, organized the event in collaboration with the WASH Legislative Caucus Secretariat, with support from WaterAid Liberia.
The WASH Caucus comprises a group of lawmakers with a vast interest in lobbying, demanding accountability, and reviewing and developing better policies for better outcomes for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene sector of Liberia. At the end of the event, the caucus was revamped with a commitment to accelerate progress and make sure to gain the status of a standing committee in the legislature.
The Chairman of the WASH Legislative Caucus, Thomas A. Goshua, relaunched the caucus on behalf of House Speaker, Fonati Koffa, and underscored the important role the WASH sector plays in the development of Liberian society. He emphasized that the legislature can only perform this role more effectively through a standing committee, which his leadership will ensure comes to fulfillment.
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Meanwhile, outgoing Chairman of the WASH Commission, Bobby Whitfield, acknowledged the role of partners who made contributions to the growth and development of the sector, including WaterAid and Population Services International (PSI). Whitfield said Liberia's WASH sector is one of the sectors that can support the national government if everyone sees its important role.
WaterAid Liberia Country Director, Chuchu Selma, lauded the efforts of the WASH Legislative Caucus in revamping its operations and praised all thirty-six lawmakers who have signed the WASH pledge card championed by WaterAid, which demands policy reviews and increased financing for WASH programs and accountability. WaterAid recommitted its support to the government's efforts to improve access to clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene practices through the launch of a 5-year country program strategy last year, with ambition by 2028 to ensure that 700,000 more people are reached with sustainable, safe, and inclusive WASH, starting with universal coverage in Todee District, Montserrado County.
Additionally, public health outcomes in Liberia will improve through better integration of WASH in the national health system and at least $13 million more per year mobilized for WASH across the country through the new county program strategy of WaterAid Liberia.
Former chair and vice-chairmen of the WASH Caucus, Jonathan Kaipay and Vincent Willie, respectively, were recognized by the WASH Caucus Secretariat for what was termed as their invaluable services to the Liberia WASH sector and ably representing the country on the international stage.
