In complementing government’s effort in providing safe drinking water in the Country, the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) together with the Ministry of Water Resources handed over two newly constructed boreholes with hand Pumps to communities in Kambia District.
Both Kamaranka and Rogbere communities are the beneficiaries as the people of those communities now have safe and clean drinking water.
The award of certificates to WASH Professionals as all awardees had completed Borehole Siting, Drilling, Supervision and Contract Administration training in December 2021 by a hired consultant.
The handing over of the boreholes is part of the framework of the just concluded Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP) implemented by SALWACO and funded by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
The Consultant for the WASH Professionals Programme on Borehole Siting, Drilling Supervision and Contract Administration, Dr. Mustapha O. Thomas thanked Management and Staff of SALWACO for initiating the training and for selecting him as the trainer.
He said the Company and Council can now boast of WASH specialists, engineers, environmental specialists and monitoring and evaluation officers.
Dr. Thomas stated that the trainees had participated in a rigorous training that started with the then Three Towns Water supply project when they did the theoretical training which climaxed into the drilling of two boreholes with hand pumps successfully.
“The objective of this training was the attainment of critical and reliably competent professionals in the sector,” says Dr. Thomas.
The Managing Director of SALWACO, Ing. George Lamin Vandi, making his statement during the ceremony thanked the consultant for training staff from the various water agencies and the councils on Borehole Siting, Drilling Supervision and Contract Administration as WASH Professionals, adding that the expertise gained from it will be with them for the rest of their lives. “Providing Water is part of President Bio’s vision and the key pillar of the government is Human Capital Development of which water is a component. The two communities in Kambia will now benefit from the vision of the President,” he said.
The Managing Director noted that SALWACO handed over the boreholes with hand pump to the Senior Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources for onward handing over to the Kambia District Council.
Representing the Minister, the Senior Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Alhasan Konde, congratulated the thirty WASH Professionals and also applauded SALWACO for doing a good job.
Before officially handing over to the Council for the use of the communities, SPS Konde, admonished the people to not only take good care of the facility, but to ensure sustainability. He encouraged them to initiate minimal household contributions for safe keeping to repair incase of damages.
Receiving the boreholes, the Chief Administrator of Kambia District Council, Dr. Edward Alpha, thanked the government and SALWACO for providing water to the two communities.
He said that SALWACO is one of the leading agencies that had always been meeting the district’s needs.
He therefore admonished beneficiaries of the facilities to maintain, consider and view the facilities as theirs.
A female inhabitant of one of the beneficiary communities while giving the vote of thanks, expressed gratitude to SALWACO for what he said is a great venture. “Our children especially the girls will now be free from walking long distances for water,” she concluded.
By SALWACO Communications Unit