May 28, 2021
Albert Baron Ansu & Aruna Kamara
Sierra Leone Water Company Media and Community Relations Manager Madam Mary Ngegba has countered claims by the Acting Mayor of the Bo City Council, His Worship, and Councilor David J.N. Smart that water kiosk promised in certain wards have not been installed.
According to SALWACO Africa Development Bank three town project covering Bo, Kenema and Makeni were provided with kiosks and efficient water treatment plants.
All stakeholders including councilors and Members of Parliament know about this project that even included sanitation and market infrastructure’s, Madam Mary Ngegba disclosed, noting that they recognize that city limits are expanding for the water facilities to be extended as part of their plans.
But the Bo Town council leadership has been expressing utter disappointment and frustration to the effect that Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) in Bo could not fulfill its promise to construct water kiosk in certain wards within the municipality of Bo.
The Acting Mayor made this statement at the Fifth Ordinary Council meeting, which took place at the Council’s Chamber on Thursday, 27th May 2021. The meeting attracted members of the public including civil society organizations and traders in Bo.
Councilor Smart said that SALWACO instructed them to inform their people in their wards to provide a piece of land for the construction of the Water Koisk and he is been embarrassed as the people are calling to know what is happening with the Water Kiosk project.
According to him, SALWACO told them that that two kiosks will be built in every ward and that work would have started since 2014 but nothing was done. In 2017, the same promised was made about the Africa Development Bank(ADB),adding that the promised that was not fulfilled made half their colleague councilors lost their seats in the Council.
However, the Chief Administrator of the Bo City Council, Veronica Josephine Fortune said that head of SALWACO in Bo had informed her that only 14 Kiosk have been constructed and that they are working hard to ensure that they overcome they challenges for the people to have water supply within the Municipality of Bo.
Other councilors at the council meeting who have not befitted from the Kiosk project said that they are still under pressure from the people they are representing in the council as they want the water Kiosk constructed which SALWACO promised them.
A-Z learnt that some of the councilors who have not benefited from the Water Kiosk are worried over losing their seat if SALWACO fails to fulfill its promise..