By: Washington Tumay Watson onewash9@gamil.com
MONROVIA-River Gee County Senator Jonathan Sogbie has committed his fullest support in improving water sanitation hygiene (WASH) with in River Gee County.
Senator Sogbie said the need for WASH cannot be overemphasize.
The River Gee senator was speaking Friday November 5, 2021 at his capital building office when FEED Clive Society organization hosted a meeting with him.
Senator Sogbie told the gathering that due to the significant of addressing the issue of WASH especially within River Gee county , his office was able to provide hand pumps with in those rural communities especially the mining areas that he visited.
According to senator Sogbie, he did sign a consent form with the objective of supporting the WASH within the county and that of the legislature .
Senator Sogbie said in line with such commitment during his visit to those mining towns with in River-Gee County with many young people, he observed that those towns did not have safe drinking water including schools.
He said the young people within those towns were requesting him to purchase football and jerseys , something according to him, he told the residents that he was going to build pumps and a school and not to focus on such request of purchasing football and jerseys.
“ I said to them football and jersey are the least of your problem; first ting first , let me take the initiative to construct an elementary school here for these children not to be denied the right to education” he indicated.
He said building an elementary school and hand pumps were his concern to protect the future of Liberian children.
The Co-Chairman for Youth and Sports Committee at the Liberian Senate Sogbie also disclosed that the inclusion of WASH within the River Gee County Development Found will be one of his agenda in December during the county seating.
He urged the team to assign a focus person at his office who will keep him apprise with those basic information concern the WASH sector so that he can make those relevant interventions.
Senator Sogbie further wants the activities of the WASH Commission to decentralize mostly to those countries that are in the remotest part of the country.
Speaking early, the Executive Director of FERD Jonah Toe extolled Senator Jonathan Sogbie for signing unto the CSOs of the county wash press card in 2020 .
According to him, it was an honor for the CSOs to have had such discussions with the lawmaker concerning WASH situation of the people of Liberia specifically River Gee which need are vital to ensure economic development.
Mr. Toe said the FERD and other civil society organizations have been engaged in creating awareness among the people about water sanitation hygiene and to enable them to take several actions responsibilities in very constructive ways.
“Our group is not involved in service delivery at construction but we create awareness with support from Water Aid Liberia, and we work with the county team and administration in River Gee and Grand Kru Counties.” he noted.
He further disclosed that those areas that they are working in River Gee County the inhabitants are drinking from unsafe water and are engaged into open defecation.
Also speaking during the gathering was the Executive Director of United Youth, Timothy Kpeh who reflected on the role that civil society organization that led to the establishment of the National WASH Commission with the responsibility to regulate the sector.
He said there were many national and international organizations working in the area of Wash, but there were no national institution that were regulating their activities, until they as civil society organization engaged those the political actors mostly those of the legislature to singed unto the pelage card.
Mr. Kpeh further disclosed that they are also engaged in educating the community residents about human rights on those basic things that included safe drinking water, toilet among others.
He also indicated that they are educating the community residents of taking ownership of those public facilities with in their communities.
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