National Wash Communication Certificates Several Water Companies

By:Washington Tumay Watson –onewash9@gmail.Com.

MONROVIA-Authorities of the National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission (NWASHC) have licensed about 12 Water Companies that are operating mineral water business.

Giving  the overview  during  the Ceremony marking  the licensing  of  those water companies ,  the Director for program, Planning and Technical Services at the  NWASHC  Prince Kreplah  said  the commission  is  the lead water and sanitation public agency in Liberia.

According to him, within the sanitation sector of the country, there are several public bodies and private sector NGO groups that operate into the water and sanitation area.

He said all of those interventions that are done by those public and private organizations within that sector, the NWASHC is the lead due to the act that established  it.

Mr. Kreplah said the act of the National Legislature gives the commission the power to regulate all the sectors actors including water companies.

He however told the gathering that the   NWASHC put into place a standard and enforce those standards to ensure that every water company operating in the country meets the national standard in the water sector to operate.

“On that, NGOS that are doing work in the water and sanitation, we regulate their activities including the way they spend finance,  the way  their programs are being earmarked in communities ,  the quality  of the services  that  they provide into the different communities  which have to benefit our people,  the WASH Commission has  the statutory responsibility  to regulate ” he indicated.

“Water and sanitation are human rights issues, every citizen across  the country has  the right  to access safe drinking water and improve sanitation environment; the WASH Commission  is responsible  to coordinate and regulate all  the different  actors  to ensure  that  this  is done “he said.

He added “today we are here to dedicate one of our various responsibilities that is our regulatory responsibility to ensure that companies that have met the requirement set by the Government of   Liberia through the various line ministries and Agencies coordinated by the National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission are given licenses to give them permission to fully operate”.  

Mr. Kreplah said 12 water companies were given licenses to operate out of the many mineral water companies that are operating in the country.se

“These companies are the ones that the Government of Liberia through the WASH Commission recognized that have met the minimal standard” he indicated.

He further disclosed  that before  the establishment   of the  WASH Commission  there were no standard  in regulating  the water and sanitation companies stressing,  that  with the establishment  of the WASH Commission  they have put into place policy measures  for  companies  to follow  to ensure  that  they operate legally  in the country.

For his part, the Deputy Director for Regulation and Compliance at the National Water Sanitation and Hygiene Commission (NWASHC) Mohammed Kamara said the Commission is targeting one and sixty five water companies to ensure that they comply with the regulation.

He said water companies that will be led into the process are about forty nine   indicating that out of that number, 12 of the companies have been processed that received their compliance license.

Those companies  that were certificated  by the NWASHC  included Assured Aqua Mineral Water, WASS Fresh Mineral Water, Zuma Pure Mineral Water,  Four Brothers Incorporated,  Mekki’s Water  Incorporated, Mamuka and Son or Ducor water , the Reservoir Mineral Water, Destiny Aqua Company , Beat Aqua Water Factory, Liberty Investment Limited , Mother Nature Natural Drinking Water Incorporated and Duk’s Mineral Water Incorporated.

Also speaking  the Director for Occupational and Environmental Health at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) Amos Gborie said the event was  the first in the history of the country for  the Government and  the water companies  to work in a smooth working relationship.

He said the water companies are playing a vital role in providing better water for the people of Liberia for drinking something that is helping to prevent water diseases.

For  their part,  the General Manager of  the Four Brothers Incorporated Ade Richards and  the Chief Executive Officer  of  Assured Aqua Mineral  Elissha Mehn  expressed gratitude  to  the staff at both NWASHC  and NPHIL  for  the vigorous process  that led  to  their  success  in obtaining   a license.