World Bank Boosts LWSC’s Water Restoration Efforts; Turns over US$6Million Project

By: Sylvester Choloplay

Liberia-July 28, 2022: The World Bank has dedicated a US$6Million dollar project aimed at enhancing the Water Restoration efforts of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation to customers across Monrovia and its environs.

The July 24, 2023 major water express line project dedication near the famous Dukor Palace Hotel also marked the beginning of the restoration of pipe borne water which had been cut off for more than months.

According to the Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, (LWSC), G. Alphonso Gaye, access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, a foundation for the fulfilment of basic human needs, and remains paramount to the development agenda of President George Weah.

Hon. Gaye emphasized that
Gaye, an acclaimed private and public sector performer, expressed frustration over what he termed as either the disappearance or grossly poor availability and supply of pipe borne water in central Monrovia for several years, a situation he noted, has created a serious burden for residents of the capital city and it’s environs.

He noted that his management is committed to actualizing President Weah’s dream of reversing the excruciating scenario of women and children rising early from bed in search for safe water daily.

Amid cheers by community dwellers and passersby, the World Bank officially turned over the newly constructed express line from the Fish market booster station on the Tubman Boulevard to the LWSC Newport street booster station in central Monrovia.

Officials of the Liberian Government and the World Bank are confident that the express line will successfully address the LWSC’S long standing challenge of supplying pipe borne water to central Monrovia and its adjacent parts, and would also ensure the restoration of pipe borne water.

The LWSC MD Gaye then lauded the World Bank and its implementing contractor for the successful implementation of the project.

Several technical teams of the LWSC were deployed in various communities and strategic locations to observe and respond to situations of leakages or raptures that may arise as a result of water being gradually released in these pipes and lines.

Also speaking, the World Bank’s project engineer Mr. Walker Richards, who puts the value express line project at approximately six million US dollars, disclosed that all major repairs being carried out by the LWSC and the project are on course and in good shape to bring pipe borne water into the LWSC’s Newport Street reservoir from the Fish Market booster station.

Residents in several communities who responded to the latest development, thanked the Government of Liberia, particularly the new managing director of LWSC, G. Alphonso Gaye, for the unprecedented speed with which the process of restoring water to central Monrovia is moving.

They particularly commended President George Manneh Weah for the appointment of Hon Gaye whom they described as a result-oriented personality whose private and public service records are enviable and incontestable.

Old man Fahnbulleh, a resident of the PHP community and Margaret of Newport Street, both termed as smart, President Weah’s decision to designate the former Grand Gedeh Senator to spearhead the president’s reform agenda at the LWSC, thus the level of work currently being done by the management team.

Residents in the township of West Point, Gurley Street, and Clara Town, also hailed the World Bank and other development partners who are responding to the government’s continuous call and willingness to collaborate in the areas of public service delivery, especially public utility such as clean and save industrial and drinking water.

This latest development followed series of actions and activities carried out by the LWSC under the watch of Hon Gaye, including substantially addressing the salary and benefit woes faced by the corporation over the last five years, a comprehensive tour of the LWSC’S water treatment plant, a massive clean-up and repair initiative at the water treatment plant in Louisiana, Montserrado County, the first in many years.

It can be recalled, when Hon. Alphonso Gaye officially took over at the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation on Monday, April 17, 2023 (a little over three months ago) Gaye made a resounding pledge to close “all leakages,” both administrative and technical, that are retarding the corporation’s effective service delivery and its revenue-generating capacity.

Before a cheerful workforce, friends, relatives and colleagues, Gaye then vowed to do all he can, working with his management team, to ensure LWSC truly functions as a major income-generating SOE, to make the entity viable and boost government’s financial capacity amid major challenges.

He also warned employees, including both top and low level managers and directors to stay in their lanes and refrain from facilitating any unwholesome acts such as serving as agents of customers to reduce the corporation’s ability to generate needed revenue.

Gaye also urged LWSC employees to improve their working discipline and resist the temptations of acts that could put them in rocky way with management.

He promised to improve the working conditions of employees and bring the LWSC on par with other viable public corporations such as the LPRC, NASSCORP, and the NPA, in terms of financial viability effective and consistent service delivery and employee welfare.

Before going to the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, G. Alphonso Gaye served in the following capacities:
Commissioner of Customs and Exile, Minister of Transport, Director General of the General Services Agency (GSA), and Senator of his native Grand Gedeh County for nine years.

He took over the LWSC with a wealth of experience, serving in various positions with distinction at several institutions in the private sector also, including Tax Analyst, Tax Auditor, Finance Officer, Accountant, Financial/Administrative Specialist, and Financial Consultant, among others.