A group of women under the banner ‘Concerned Women of Red Hill and Rehab Communities’ are continuing
what they called peaceful protest demanding the Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation (LWSC) to reopen the valve to the kiosk at Block-B.
According to the aggrieved women, the kiosk at Block-B was the place where the community dwellers used to fetch water but that it was allegedly closed in early 2018 by authorities at the LWSC, while the water has been diverted to people in the communities for sale.
The women who are mostly single parents, gardeners, petty traders among others, described the act on the part of the LWSC as killing them because they are living on top of a rocky hill which makes it difficult to access safe drinking water.
In continuation of their peaceful protest that commenced about two weeks ago, they over the weekend marched in the principal streets of Monrovia. Among them, was a baby mother who was seen carrying her child along in a scorching hot day as they carried placards with inscriptions, “water is life, LWSC give our water so that our pregnant women can give birth as well as our children are dying from water borne diseases among others. Later, they stormed the offices of the LWSC.
Speaking to the protesting women, Mr. Duannah Kamara, Managing Director of the LWSC told them that their water issue will be adequately addressed and that assessment has already been carried out relative to the necessary materials that are technically needed to reconnect the communities with pipe borne water.
He said they have had a meeting with Mr. Samuel Tweah, Minister of Finance for Development Planning (MFDP) about the project because the government is going to provide funding but failed to state as to when the needed funds would be made available to procure the relevant pipes and other materials.
“Even though the US$19,000 for the water was paid during the past regime but government is continuity, so this government will solve the problem,” he said.
Director Kamara added that his administration attaches importance to the issue of water in the Lower Johnsonville communities which he stated triggered his visit there and also sanctioned the disconnection of all illegal connections to the main water line in the area, as such, he requested the protesters to present the names of a five-woman committee to work with LWSC.
Mother Comfort Nagbe, Chairlady of the group disclosed that they decided to stage the peaceful protest because many appeals have come from the students at Cheerful Givers High School (CGHS), Bishop Nimely Jarbokly Donyen the initiator of the water project including various community leaders to LWSC and even to President George Weah for intervention but all have fallen on deaf ears.
“We will stop the protest as of now and wait patiently to see the outcome of the assurance that the LWSC Boss has given us. If his assurance does not materialize, then, the group will be activated until our pipe borne water flows again to our communities,” she noted.
She then said they were benefitting from the water before the 2017 General and Presidential Elections but pointed out that since the election of President George Weah and Representative Jimmy Smith, their direct Representative in the National Legislature, they have been denied this water facility.
They said the government has failed to protect their interest as they are faced difficulties, including water, electricity and good community roads.
They added that they have not even benefited from the COVID-9 stimulus package.
Meanwhile, the women presented copies of their statement to LWSC, EU, the US Embassy and others.