To actualize the transformation of the health sector into a digitalized health information system, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Directorate of Science and Innovation and a Non-Governmental Organisation, Living Goods, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the 28th May 2020 with the aim of boosting the health sector.
The rationale of the initiative is to reduce mortality through the effective use of technology to generate data for surveillance and case management,
Chief Medical Officer of Sierra Leone, Rev. Canon Dr. Thomas Samba, maintained that in the Post Ebola era the health sector has been working towards transformation in order to be more effective and responsive through available information technology. He noted that digital technology is an integral part of Sierra Leone’s national COVID-19 preparedness response plan 2020 . Since they launched it in April the ICT pillar has developed and roll out sms for self-check-up and public information dissemination and E-pass for travel management.
In another engagement it was disclosed that selected members of the national community health workers programme of about 17,800 strong personnel are currently providing preventive diagnostic treatment and referral services in their communities with the support of digital tools.
Through this partnership, community health workers will be empowered with early detection, tracking and escalation of case outbreaks through the effective use of technology in the community to the national level for timely action and improved service delivery.
The Country Director of Living Goods ,Alhassan Bah, said that his organisation will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other key stakeholders to conduct situational analysis of Sierra Leone’s COVID -19 response and detail user requirements that will be used to support the Emergency Operation Center with visualisation and analytics and to work with Dimagi to develop and roll out user digital surveillance and case management applications .
Sierra Leone health sector has made significant progress since the Ebola outbreak in 2014 but the ongoing global pandemic is threatening those gains made so far.
Living Goods is a Non- profit, Non – Governmental Organisation that empowers community health workers through digitalized health information system to deliver services on call making it easy for families in need to access quality and cost effective health care services.
Living Goods has since 2019 supported over 10,000 Community Health Workers on service delivery.
Starting on the 28th May and running up to the 6th June 2020 the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development will continue to execute the presentation of Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs) as District Leads to the District Emergency Operation Centers.
The event, which was held at the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre in Freetown was geared towards recognizing the role of INGOs in the COVID-19 response for Sierra Leone. The response package recognizes the need for coordination and collaboration in putting up a constructive fight against the pandemic in the country among players from the Government and development partners.
Presenting the INGO Response Leads for Western Area Urban and Rural, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kai-Kai said the President Bio-led Government had taken a step further to enhance the COVID19 response in partnering with INGOs. He noted that the INGOs were willing and capable to come forward to enhance Government’s efforts working with the National Coordinators across the country.
“As a Ministry, we will do an immediate follow-up to this introduction by presenting the District INGO Lead Representatives to the various District EOCs and NGOs around the country. This process will minimize duplication of efforts and ensure limited resources are effectively utilized to achieve maximum impact together”, Dr. Kai-Kai ended.
The Deputy Interim National COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Deputy Minister of Finance, Sheku A.F. Bangura thanked the INGOs for the gesture presented. He noted that the support was a valuable addition to Government’s resources. Mr. Bangura re-echoed President Bio’s commitment to replicating the National COVID19 architecture at district level.
Paul Emes, the Head of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), acknowledging Government’s strategic determination and leadership in such a difficult time noting that they would ensure the gaps and overlaps are minimized so that the limited resources available are used in the most focused way to realize Government’s vision.
The NGO District Leads would help district officials to better coordinate the work and information around the COVID-19 preparedness and response.
The Team travelled to Kambia and Port Loko District next, where the Hon. Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh thanked and admonished the Leads on the Government’s commitment to fighting COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.
Reverend Father Peter Alpha Konteh
Caritas Freetown Executive Director and Head of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Freetown Development Office
By Amin Kef Sesay
In order to produce and distribute 5,000 face masks as well as to undertake series of coronavirus sensitization engagements in vulnerable communities, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freetown has provided financial and material support to Caritas Freetown.
Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, Reverend Father Peter Alpha Konteh, stated how the German Embassy’s support has enabled Caritas Freetown to hire the services of 50 tailors who have produced 5,000 locally made non-medical facial masks.
He further disclosed how His Excellency, Horst Gruner, the German Ambassador to Sierra Leone, made the support possible. “As an Ambassador, His Excellency Gruner has strengthened Germany-Sierra Leone bilateral relations with a focus on trade, development support, and social exchange,” Reverend Father Peter Alpha Konteh highlighted.
“We want to strengthen the long-standing, diverse and friendly relations between Sierra Leone and Germany,” Ambassador Gruner once said about Sierra Leone and Germany’s relations.
Before he was appointed Germany’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Horst Gruner gained a more comprehensive insight into African affairs, having served as Deputy Director, African Division (Politics) and Deputy Director, African Division (Culture and Media) in the Federal Foreign Ministry in Berlin. He has also had diplomatic postings to several African countries including serving as Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 1993 – 1996, 1st Secretary Press and Culture, German Embassy in Dar es Salaam 1996 – 2000,1st Secretary Press and Culture, German Embassy in Algiers, Algeria 2003 – 2006, Deputy Ambassador, German Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon 2010 – 2011, Chargè d‘Affaires, German Embassy Malabo, Equatorial Guinea 2011 – 2013, and Deputy Ambassador, German Embassy in Kinshasa, DR Congo
The staff of Caritas Freetown has already begun distributing the masks made from the German Embassy support while also sensitizing communities to understand the dangers of COVID-19. A vital part of the sensitization program is building awareness about the use of face masks in public.
The German diplomatic mission accredited to Freetown has always stood in solidarity with the Government and People of Sierra Leone, especially during difficult times.
Caritas Freetown has also been a close partner of Caritas Germany. Over the years, Caritas Germany has and continues to support humanitarian relief and community development program activities that Caritas Freetown undertakes, especially during disasters and periods of crisis, in the metropolitan Archdiocese of Freetown.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Sierra Leone established Caritas Freetown / Caritas Sierra Leone in 1981 with the directive to serve as the relief and development agency of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Freetown and the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone.
In the 1990s, most of the agency’s work and program activities concentrated on responding to the plight of the people caught up in the brutal civil war, by providing food, shelter, and lobbying for the release of child soldiers.
Today, Caritas Freetown remains steadfast in post-war peacebuilding initiatives and rebuilding processes. Still, it is also active in various fields such as – HIV/AIDS prevention, food security, emergency, and humanitarian relief, youth empowerment, environmental protection, poverty eradication, and gender equality.
After the civil war, the Ebola virus crisis, and the mudslide disaster, one of the vital focus areas of Caritas Freetown’s work is the continued support of families and communities through initiatives such as peacebuilding, trauma counseling and healing, support for orphans and disadvantaged women, shelter and home renovation and repairs, and the distribution of essential medical and food items and supplies.
As part of its ongoing strategic plan, Caritas Freetown is gearing toward establishing a robust short-term workforce development and training program for unemployed and unskilled young people, women, and people with developmental disabilities. The workforce development and training program would include computer education and application utilization, e-commerce, culinary science, sewing/fashion design and tailoring, practical auto repair, carpentry, and informal construction.
According to Father Konteh, Caritas Freetown Workforce Development and Training program would be a partnership and collaborative effort between Caritas Freetown and the government through the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when all details are worked out to get Sierra Leone’s international partners on board to support such efforts.
He said the various government agencies, including the Office of the President of Sierra Leone, are keen and responsive to the reality of public-private partnership, which is a good thing for the development of the country and the prosperity of Sierra Leoneans.
Caritas Freetown’s workforce development and training program objectives are to work with and assist the government and the people of Sierra Leone in creating more private-sector jobs as well as enable unemployed young people to secure technology jobs, which are the future. “The younger people we put to work after developing their skills, the more we protect the future of Sierra Leone, and the more we build a better Sierra Leone,” said Father Konteh.
Father Konteh then thanked the Catholic Bishops Conference of Sierra Leone for their continued support to Caritas Sierra Leone.
According to Father Konteh, the Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Freetown, Dr. Edward Tamba Charles has always provided visionary and pastoral leadership and unconditional support to efforts that help the poor and all Sierra Leoneans, irrespective of creed, tribe, ideological leaning, gender or social status. He said that is why Caritas Freetown has been so impactful in the lives of many people over the years.
Father Konteh then urged Sierra Leoneans to unite, put aside political, tribal, and ideological differences and work for a better and united Sierra Leone
Germany’s Ambassador to Sierra Leone Horst Gruner meets with President Julius Maada Bio
The outspoken, political and social commentator, journalist and politician, Sylvia Olayinka Blyden on the 29th May 2020 finally fulfilled all bail conditions granted by Magistrate Hannah Bonnie of Magistrate Court No 2 after initially failing to timely meet those conditions granted on the 28th May 2020.
Blyden spent over three weeks in police detention without charge, and only to be taken to Court a few days ago to answer to a ten-count charge – ranging from seditious libel against the President to perverting the course of justice.
However, a University student cum child rights activist – Hussain Muckson Sesay, who was arrested for allegedly publishing a photo of Dr Blyden being interrogated by CID officers – a charge he continues to deny, will probably be released this week after fulfilling his bail conditions.
Sympathizers of Blyden were seen in a suppressed jubilant mood as she was released after Lawyer Melron Nicol-Wilson, acting for both Blyden and Sesay had secured bail for the pair.
A Human Rights campaigner intimated this medium that authorities in Sierra Leone must now drop all the charges against Dr Blyden and Muckson. He said the charges against them stem directly from their work as journalists, activists and peaceful citizens saying such should not be punishable and is part of their professional capacity.
“The Public Order Act No 46 of 1965 is outdated and not fit for purpose. Dictatorial government officials use the Public Order Act laws mainly against journalists and activists and the prospect of their use instils fear in the minds of people across the country. There is an urgent need to end the tyrannical criminal defamation laws, which unduly restrict freedom of expression. There are calls in Sierra Leone for the repeal of Part V of the 1965 Public Order Act dealing with libel laws. We want real victory for Unity, for Freedom, for Justice,” he underscored.
Speaking on behalf of the Blyden family, Mrs Sylvia Jolliminah Blyden – the mother of Dr. Sylvia Blyden, spoke passionately about the life and career of her daughter and called on the Government to respect her human rights.
Among the result-oriented companies that has over the years championed the petroleum trade in this country is the National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) to such an extent that it has drew wide-spread commendation near and far for having holding the fort for too long. This company was formed years back by certain selfless Sierra Leoneans, thirty-five of them, who bought shares using their end of service benefits and infused fine initiatives into the business entity that transformed it to become a towering company within the business landscape of this country.
One major thing which these investors considered very paramount un order to push the company forward is putting premium on optimizing customer care which they believe will put the company in a very good stead to widen its customer base. It was against such a backdrop that it was decided to import and install calibrated pumping machines at the company’s various Filling Stations which are very capable of churning out the right quantity of fuel and at the same time display the corresponding price.
The introduction of these machines was a big welcome to many as it instilled the feeling that they are getting the right quantity of petroleum products, petrol or diesel as well as lubricants, against what is being paid for. Hitherto, the old pumping machines were not so sophisticated and created leeway through which certain unscrupulous pump attendants clandestinely cheated customers by not pumping the requisite quantity of fuel requested for. However, with the latest calibrated machines such became a thing of the past as they make petroleum transactions at the company’s Filling Stations very transparent.
NP-SL made it a laid down policy to have a whole Customer Care Department that is charged with the responsibility to address the concerns of its customers and by extension members of the public. The inputs from members of the public are most times taken into consideration whenever meetings are convened, out of which resolutions are adopted that are tailored to give satisfaction in terms of responding to concerns and embracing certain recommendations.
The buoyant oil marketing company is the premier and sustainable indigenous business entity in this country as it is hundred percent owned by Sierra Leoneans. One thing that they laid emphasis on is making it a laid down policy to give preference to exclusively employ Sierra Leoneans instead of considering bringing foreigners on board except in instances where local expertise could not be sourced.
This stance on the part of the company is in sync with the country’s Local Content Policy which underpins making use of local human and material resources in the production and service delivery chain. By giving employment preference to Sierra Leoneans the company has been positively contributing towards poverty alleviation and availing individuals the opportunities to live improved standards of living. The policy is truly in tune with fulfilling one of the pillars of the national economic agenda.
With regards rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, NP-SL has been doing so steadily and progressively. The company has been giving institutional support to certain institutions as it did in the recent past when it capacitated the National Fire Force, Kissy Branch, with a state of the art water facility that is designed to provide water throughout the year.
Besides, the company recently joined the fray in trying to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the country when it donated the sum of one Billion Leones to the Emergency Operation Centre as its own support in the fight against the spread of the virus. This gesture was highly appreciated and the company was commended for its timely response.
The company’s introduction of a Smart Card to purchase fuel has been widely applauded as a very good initiative. A particular customer, with money in his or her NP Smart Card could easily put in for the quantity of petrol or diesel that he or she wants and the supply is facilitated after which the amount of money expended is deducted from the card. It is a very convenient way of doing such transactions in a cashless manner. Its biggest advantage is that it creates room for a customer to budget for fuel purchase over time. NP Smart Card is now trending and many are presently using it saying they prefer it than using physical cash.
Some users of NP Gas that this medium talked with intimated how it is a very good device which has a high speed performance and very environmentally useful and friendly. Manufactured in different cylinder shapes it is portable and affordable. NP Gas could be secured at all the company’s major Filling Stations where the gas to refill it could be accessed.
The company has really exhibited that it is poised to expand its operations, a determination that has been manifested in opening branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia. In all those countries those NP branches are doing extremely well in terms of service delivery and payment of taxes to the home Governments.
Indisputably, there is no way that we can talk of a very successful company, amidst challenges encumbered along the way ,without mentioning NP-SL because the company is greatly contributing to the socio-economic development of nations. Growth to diligently serve humanity forms part of its cardinal objectives.
On 27th May 2020 ,amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Chang Li Mining Company donated to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Embassy in China, Ten Thousand Testing Kits (10,000) and Five Ventilators worth thousands of United States dollars to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed many lives and has affected human activities globally.
In an exclusive interview with the Mining and Country Representative of CHANG LI, Fassalay Tarawally, told this medium that the donation is part of their Corporate Social Responsibility to support the Government and the People of Sierra Leone. He maintained that, since the inception of COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, the activities of the Government and businesses have been on standstill, and it’s time for all and sundry to put all hands on deck to eradicate this deadly pandemic, and also to enhance the smooth running of government activities and businesses.
As a matter of urgency, the consignment was brought into the country by a chartered flight from China, and it was accompanied by the Sierra Leone Ambassador to China, Mr. Saffa Woya Rogers to Sierra Leone. This donation was made to officials from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Lungi. Mr. Tarawally affirmed the company’s continued support to the Government of Sierra Leone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company’s operation site is located at Koinadugu District, Diang Chiefdom and it is expected to employ thousands of Sierra Leoneans after the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has a large scale of gold mining and possesses an average worth of $250 million investment.
Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Saturday 30th May, 2020 ended his engagement in Bo after successfully holding several meetings with local coordinators, stakeholders in the provincial headquarter towns of Tonkolili, Bombali, Port Loko and Kenema.
It was highlighted that his trip is consistent with Government’s effort to stem the rising tide of corona virus disease in the country. At every location, VP Jalloh engaged stakeholders and local COVID-19 response structures in order to have first-hand information on critical challenges in the fight. At the end of the tour, he expressed satisfaction with the various coordinating structures whom he noted are working under very difficult circumstances.
VP Jalloh also congratulated frontline workers for their dedication and excellent performance of their duties. He assured them that Government will look into the challenges they raised whilst calling for effective coordination between the key players.
In response, the various local coordinators and stakeholders expressed appreciation to the Vice President for going on the ground to engage them on the Covid-19 fight. This, they said, showed that Government is committed to fighting the Covid-19 virus.
As part of its commitment in response to the fight against COVID-19 in Koinadugu and Falaba Districts, Pavi Fort Construction Company has donated forty million Leones, five thousand Face masks, fifty gallons of hand sanitizers to the Koinadugu and Falaba District Emergency Operations Centers and ten million Leones for both the Paramount Chiefs of both districts at a ceremony held at the Koinadugu District Youth Council Hall in Kabala.
Presenting the items, the Chief Executive Officer of Pavi Fort, Alimou Barrie , noted that the donation is to complement the efforts of Government and the People of Koinadugu and Falaba Districts in the fight against the Coronavirus.
He described COVID-19 as a killer disease that requires a collective effort to defeat.
The CEO promised that Pavi Fort will provide one hundred bags of rice any time there is a lockdown in Koinadugu and Falaba districts.
Mr Yirah Thoronka while receiving the items on behalf of the two Districts Coordinators commended the company for their timely intervention and assured that the items would be used for their intended purposes.
Both Paramount Chiefs Gbaru Mansaray and Lahai Mansaray expressed their thanks and appreciation for the donation, while describing Alimou Barrie as a true son of Koinadugu and Falaba districts.
The District Medical Officer of Koinadugu District, Dr Francis Fornie, called on the public to have trust in the DEOC of Koinadugu District as they are doing everything within their power to defeat the virus.
The Coordinator of the Falaba District Emergency Operations Center, Lamin Konde, thanked Pavi Fort for the donation and called on other well-meaning citizens and non-governmental organizations to help them as they are faced with serious logistic constraints in the fight against the Coronavirus in the district.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Peter Bayuku Conteh said that the country is going through a serious health crisis that requires everyone to get on board. He expressed his disappointment that most of the politiciasn from the district, especially from the opposition APC are not coming on board to defend their District and their people adding that any politician that wants to lead his people must demonstrate that during a critical moment like this.
He thanked Alimou Barrie for the kind donation stressing that they will continue to stand by Pavi Fort to develop the District, particularly in the fight against COVID-19.
He used the occasion to call on Momoh Konte and Dr Kaifala Marah to join the Koinadugu District Emergency Operations Center to fight and defend their district from the Coronavirus.
He called on other institutions in the country to follow the foot step of Pavi Fort noting that the fight against COVID-19 needs collective action.
It could be recalled that Pavi Fort Construction Company has stood by the side of the Government of Sierra Leone during trying times citing August 14th 2017 when the mudslide occurred at Regent saying the company was among those that donated relief items which included five hundred bags of rice, Le25 million Leones and provided three excavators to clear the rubble and also built fifty two (52) houses at 6 Mile in addressing the housing problems in the aftermath of the mudslide saying it was really a timely response.
National Coordinator of Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), Abu Bakarr Kamara
By Foday Moriba Conteh
The National Coordinator of Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), Abu Bakarr Kamara, on the 26th May 2020, intimated that this Government was saying the previous Government was unable to pay salaries without recourse to the commercial banks and furthered that, “They have now taken more advance loans from the commercial bank,” he said.
However, Net Domestic Borrowing during Financial Year (FY) 2019 totalled Le4, 137,576 billion as against Le4, 142,833 billion – FY2018 and this comprises Treasury Bills, Ways and Means advances, One year Treasury Bonds, Bridging Loan and Long Term Securities, he highlighted.
According to him, the net decrease in Ways and Means, which are advance loans taken from Commercial Banks to support the operations of Government, was Le41, 927 billion, taking the total amount owed at the end of the fiscal year to Le117, 162 billion, which is repayable in the ensuing year.
Abu Bakarr Kamara stated how Treasury Bills amount to Le3, 792,462 trillion as against Le3, 495,413 trillion – FY2018, which represents the total amount of treasury bills issued during the year as 91-Day, 182-Day and 364-Day Treasury Bills. The total worth of Treasury Bills redeemed during the year amounted to Le3, 424,561 trillion (Le3, 160,704 trillion – FY2018). The total outstanding amount of treasury bills at the end of FY2018 is Le3, 761,856 trillion (Le3, 394,950 trillion – end FY2018).
Based on what the BAN National Coordinator revealed, Richard S. Williams, Accountant General, said on One year Treasury Bonds there are no further issues of one-year bonds during the period and all outstanding have been redeemed in the previous years. Bridging Loans, he wrote, were obtained from the BSL during FY2018 with an outstanding balance of Le247 billion as at the previous year-end but have now been repaid during the course of the year leaving no outstanding balances as at the end of FY 2019.
On Long Term Securities (with more than one year maturity), a total amount of Le227,951 billion (Le325,167 billion – FY2018) represents long-term securities issued in the form of treasury bonds during the year ended FY2019. The total worth of long-term securities redeemed during the year amounted to Le213,078 billion (Le141,528 billion – FY2018).
According to the Annual Accounts, the total outstanding amount of long-term securities held as 2-Year, 5-Year and 10-Year Treasury Bonds at the end of FY2019 is Le1,439,840 trillion (Le791,693 billion – end FY2018) held by the BSL (Le799,273 billion) and NASSIT (Le106,559 billion). The Special Marketable Securities held by the BSL totalling Le799,273 billion as at 31st December 2019, comprises: 3-Year Treasury Bonds Le331,982 billion, 5-Year Treasury Bonds Le367,990 billion and 10-Year Treasury Bond Le567,758 billion.
The treasury bonds are said to be held by the BSL following a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government dated 14th October 2006 converting Non-Marketable, Non-Interest Bearing Securities to Special Marketable Securities for capitalization of the Bank and for monetary purposes. The interest cost of financing the operations and the total amount payable at redemption will be borne by the Government, he added.
In the Annual Financial Statements of the Consolidated Fund for the financial year ending 31st December 2019,he said, Ways and Means advances increased by 54% from Le75.7 billion in 2018 to Le117.2 billion in 2019.
In his address during the State Opening of the Third Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone on the 28th May 2020, President Julius Maada Bio stated that there is an urgent need to review the 2010 National Water and Sanitation Act in order to align it with outcomes and indicators set out in Sustainable Development Goal 6.
The President stated that a draft reviewed policy has been developed and stakeholder consultations will be soon concluded.
The policy, he said, will be finalized and introduced this year to guide interventions in the water and sanitation sector.
President Bio revealed how Eight (8) Water Regulations (complaints handling procedures, licensing rules, consumer service, quality of supply, service provider reporting rules, water codes, bottled and sachet water production regulations, certification rules) have been developed, laid before Parliament, and are now maturing into law.
The Chief Executive Officer said pursuant to Government’s commitment to monitor and regulate our water resources, the National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA), which was set up by an Act of Parliament in 2017, is now fully operational with appreciable staff compliment and a five-year strategic plan has been developed.
He said the Government is pursuing action to ensure improved water supply across the country adding how Government has provided funding for the reconstruction of water supply systems in six District Headquarter Towns (Moyamba, Pujehun, Kailahun, Kabala, Kambia and Magburaka) adding that Government has provided funding for and will soon commence work on the reconstruction of the Bonthe water supply system.
His Excellency mentioned that in the medium term, DFID has funded feasibility studies and detailed design on the rehabilitation of the Guma Dam, the Water Treatment Plant, Transmission Network, leakage management for distribution network, Spur Road pumping station, extension of the distribution network and refurbishment of the Allen Town water supply system.
“The World Bank has also funded the Freetown Emergency Recovery Project that will rehabilitate the water treatment plant at the Babadorie Dam, Regent, and the laying of a 4km distribution network in communities close to the mud slide area at Mortormeh,” the President continued.
The Government of Sierra Leone, he said, has solely funded the Lumley–Aberdeen Beach Road Water Supply Improvement Project which provides service connections to recreational centres and businesses along the beach.
According to President Bio, funding has been secured from the African Development Bank and other partners for improvement of the water supply infrastructure in Freetown for increased access to sustainable water supply, sanitation services and hygiene. “This project will also develop water sources in small catchment areas along the Western Peninsular for domestic use,” he assured.
The President maintained that additionally a pilot project is being implemented in Kingtom and Aberdeen which will isolate and meter these two settlements to determine and understand revenue loss or gain from the water supply network saying lessons learnt from this pilot project will be applied to other areas of the city.
He said the reconstruction of water supply systems in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni is nearing completion adding that residents are already accessing water from these systems but highlighted that very few households are connected to the system.
The President revealed that SALWACO is currently accelerating service connections in the three towns and the project is scheduled for commissioning this year.
Government has also completed 406 hand dug wells, 125 boreholes, 22 rain water harvesting systems, 301 public sanitation facilities, 200 rain gauging stations, and 20 surface and ground water monitoring stations across six districts (Koinadugu, Falaba, Kono, Kambia, Pujehun and Bonthe), the President furthered.
He stated that Government has also rehabilitated 1100 water points and currently constructing 15 gravity-flow water supply schemes stating they have made significant investments in WASH in schools and health facilities nationwide.
President Bio divulged that Guma and SALWACO are aiming at increasing access to Water in Health Facilities at 50 Health facilities from 65% to 75% and WASH in schools interventions in about 100 schools.
