Over four hundred thousand people are set to benefit from the Six Town Water Supply Project that will be implemented by the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).
The Project is set to be implemented in Kailahun, Pujehun, Moyamba, Kambia, Magbruka and Kabala.
On the 20th-21st January 2021, SALWACO, represented by two of its board members, with support from the Ministry of Water Resources signed the contract agreement and handed over the site to contractors in Kambia, Magburaka and Kabala.
The Project is funded by the Government of Sierra Leone, and it had been designed by SALWACO engineers and a team of consultants. The signing of contract documents was done in all the aforementioned areas where the Project will be implemented.
When he spoke in Kambia, the Deputy Minister of Water Resources Mrs. Nimatulai Bah-Chang, said that the Project will create employment and help boost economic activities in all the Project areas.
She congratulated the people of Kambia for supporting the government of President Julius Maada Bio and embracing the water Project.
Madam Bah-Chang described Kambia district as a bread basket.
“We are focused on development activities and this is the reason for this project,” she continued.
“We have seen an expansion in the district as the population continues to grow. This is the more reason for this project,” she added.
The Deputy Minister said President Bio is very much interested in the water sector and in his address to Parliament in 2019, promised to provide water to the people of Sierra Leone.
She said water is key in addressing a series of other issues including Health, Education and Teenage Pregnancy.
She assured the people of the Government’s commitment to providing water for them and commended the Management and Board of SALWACO for moving the Project that far.
The Managing Director SALWACO, Ing. George Lamin Vandi, admonished contractors to do a very good job, noting that the Six Towns Water project is at the heart of President Bio.
“We at SALWACO will not hesitate to terminate contract if the contractor do not follow the contractual agreement,” he cautioned
“But this is not something we want to do, and that is the more reason we continue to call on contractors to do their best,” he furthered.
“We don’t want to reach that end, and we emphasize the need for contractors to do their utmost best in completing the project on time,” he said.
In Magburaka, Paramount Chief, Masakama Kamaranka the III, of Kholifa Rowala Chiefdom, expressed happiness and thanked the Government of Sierra Leone and the Management of SALWACO for having the Project in his Chiefdom
“We in this District are lucky. We now have electricity, and water is being added. As we all know the township of Magburaka has expanded, and it continues to grow both in size and population. With this project more and more people will now be connected to the water facility,” he predicted.
The Paramount Chief admitted responsibility for supervising the implementation of the Project in his Chiefdom, and called on SALWACO to work with the Council and more so the inhabitants.
“Make sure our young people are employed and we are sure this Project will bring lots of employment to our people,” he added
The Six Towns Water Supply Project (STWSP) is set to be implemented in Kambia, Magburaka, Kabala, Moyamba, Pujehun and Kailahun Districts.
Contracts signing and handing over of site have now been done in Kambia, Magburaka and Kabala, and work will begin in the expansion of water facilities in these districts very soon.
The Deputy Chairman of the Kabala District Council, Momodu G.P. Marrah, during the signing ceremony thanked the Government of Sierra Leone and the Management of SALWACO for the Project.
The Chief Administrator Mr. Amara reiterated that there have been so many unanswered questions about the Kabala water project. “I am so relieved for the signing of this contract because we as a council could not have answered the questions which people were asking,” he admitted. “Be rest assured that our eyes, ears nose and mouths will be hanging over this project till it is completed successfully according to design,” Amara concluded.
“We will monitor and make sure this project succeeds for our people” he emphasized.
The project will provide water to over four hundred thousand people across the country when the other towns of Kailahun, Moyamba, and Pujehun shall have signed contracts and work completed.
By SALWACO Communications Unit
25/01/2021. ISSUE NO: 7987