Liberia: Five Counties Pledge Support Towards Ending Open Defecation Within Their Respective Counties - FrontPageAfrica
Source: Front Page Africa
Author: Franklin Doloquee
Ganta, Nimba County - Five counties have jointly agreed and signed a resolution to end open defecation in Liberia, with the USAID-sponsored project titled "County Wide Sanitation Activity." The project, implemented by Population Services International (PSI), Concern Worldwide, ATHENA Infonomics, and GUSCEMAN INC Excellence for Growth and Prosperity Business Development and Support Services, aims to end open defecation in their respective counties.
By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba County
The counties involved include Lofa, Grand Bassa, Bong, Montserrado, and Nimba, with the goal of enabling each household to have access to the end of open defecation within their respective homes and counties.
The County Wide Sanitation Activity focuses on key areas including sanitation governance, sanitation marketing, and others.
The joint resolution of the County Councils (Grand Bassa, Lofa, Bong, Montserrado, and Nimba Counties) on the County Wide Sanitation Activity indicates the importance of county-wide sanitation. However, there is no allotment in the National budget for the 2024 budget year.
John Alexander Nyahn Jr., Deputy Chairperson for the National Civil Society Organizations in Liberia, who read the resolution, lamented that the five counties have resolved to include sanitation financing in their county development plans and budgets to enable them to end open defecation within their respective counties.
He stated that the joint resolution also focuses on allocating 2 to 5 percent of all annual funds or income generated from the county for the support and promotion of sanitation projects and activities. This collaboration with sanitation partners aims to develop policies and guidelines to promote and sustain adequate sanitation in Grand Bassa, Lofa, Bong, Montserrado, and Nimba Counties, ultimately ending open defecation permanently. The five counties' administrations and councils ensure strict compliance with the tenets of inclusion, transparency, and accountability in executing sanitation projects.
Addressing participants in Ganta during the three-day final resolution adoption and Area-Wide Sanitation planning meeting at the Jackie Guest House in Ganta, USAID Chief of Party for County Wide Sanitation Activity, Matthew Ndote, urged participants to focus and get involved in ending open defecation in their homes and counties.
He encouraged them to engage in improving sanitation in their respective counties.
Matthew Ndote acknowledged the participants from the five counties, stating that 64 percent of Liberia's population still uses open defecation, while participants disclosed that 98 percent of the funding provided comes from non-governmental organizations, with the government of Liberia not expressing interest in the fight to end open defecation in the country.
Nicore Rock, County Wide Sanitation Activity Athena Infonomics, also spoke, urging the involvement of all Liberians in ending open defecation in the various counties. She emphasized the need for government involvement alongside the citizenry in ending open defecation in Liberia.
Lofa County Senator Momo T. Cyrus pledged his support to the five counties leading the initiative. He expressed disappointment that Liberia, one of the oldest African countries, still faces an open defecation problem.
The Lofa County lawmaker pledged to engage the Upper House for their support in ending open defecation in the country.
"This is not a good thing to even be saying. Liberia is about 176 years old, and one of the oldest countries still facing an open defecation problem is not good for this country," Senator Momo T. Cyrus added.
He was praised by the participants for his longstanding commitment at the ceremony and vowed to lead them to the Senate head to secure Upper House budgetary support.
"I will take your message to the Upper House to inform them about your activities. Liberia is one of the oldest African countries; we cannot still be talking about ending open defecation. We need to move ahead in addressing such practices," Lofa County Senator Momo T. Cyrus told participants in Ganta, Nimba County. He assured them of his support in providing budgetary assistance towards their activities.