February 25, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
Honorable Members of Parliament on the Committee on Water Resources have yesterday, 24th of February, indicted the Director General of the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) Emanuel Mannah for paying lip-service to an alarming rate of an unhygienic water sachets produced by fake and unlicensed water companies across the country.
Expressing his dissatisfaction over the appalling nature of regulating the ill-disposed and fake water companies, the Chairman of the Water Resource Committee in Parliament Hon. Lahai Marah informed the Director General of EWRC that the committee would soon institute an investigations regarding documentations relating to issuance of licenses to water companies that are operating illegally and have also failed Standard Bureau test.
He added that the report they as committee members had received from Standard Bureau is not good at all, adding that all most 90% of the water companies the the EWRC had issued license have failed the Standard Bureau test.
Hon. Lahia Marah futher intimated that the committee would have to formally summon the Water Sachet Union, the Standard Bureau, and the Ministry of Health for a way forward in addressing the alarming sales of unhygienic water to the public.
Hon. Marah continued that the committee would not mind to have few water companies that meet the Standard Bureau test and weed out the rest of the illegal water companies that are producing unhealthy and unhygienic water to the people of Sierra Leone.
He said the report received from the international agencies with regards to the water supply in the country is abysmal, promising that the committee on Water Resources in Parliament wants to end that unpleasant state of affairs in the country.
“We went to a particular water company at Jui and what we saw with our own eyes is so deplorable and we don’t want such companies to be seen selling water to our citizens. As a Member of Parliament that is one of our responsibilities for protecting our citizens,” he promised.
Honorable Abdul Latif Sesay also informed the Director General that the country often experiences cholera during the dry season adding that, the committee do not want to see such awful situation this time around all in the name of fake water companies producing unhygienic water to citizens.
He acknowledged that the country already had the COVID-19 situation and therefore they do not want any other water borne diseases to affect their constituents.
He further encouraged the Director General to collaborate with the Union of Sachet Water, the Ministry of Health and the Standard Bureau in order to address the malaise in the country.
Hon. Latif Sesay continued that it is because of the lack of coordination on the part of the Director General of the EWRC that has led to the issuance of certificates to companies that awfully fail the Standard Bureau tests and standards.
He concluded by saying that it is the responsibility of the Director General of the EWRC which happens to be the regulatory body for water, to confirm the qualifications water companies meet.
Responding to Members of Parliament, the Director General of the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission Emanuel Mannah said when he took over the Commission two years ago, there was none certified standard for the operation of water companies, adding that there is now at least forty (40) certified water company operators. He acknowledged that it is indeed a tough drive for the holistic eradication of what he considered as overnight mushroom water factories, and also assured Committee Members that the commission would weed them out and eventually closed them.
He furthered that there is no excuse for those companies to sell polluted water to citizens adding that, he has even involved the Consumer Protection Agency to help monitor and police the production of polluted water by these illegal companies.
Also responding to questions posed by Members of Parliament with regards to revenue collection, the Director General referenced section (25) of the EWRC Act that provides the means of revenue collection for the utilization of the commission. He added that annual levy is the major source of revenue for the Commission. Director General concluded that the Commission is equally challenged in terms of man power indicating that, when he took over he met over five people and currently the commission now has two staff. He said the commission is now trying to open satellite offices in collaboration with the city councils across the country which would help the commission to efficaciously regulate Electricity and water supply across the country.
