The Paramount Chief of Dodo Chiefdom Kenema district PC Alhaji Foday Kpakra Faba is calling on the government and humanitarian organizations to immediately come to his aid by providing safe drinking water for his subjects in five different locations in his chiefdom.
He made this appeal while speaking to the press at his residence in the Chiefdom headquarter town of Dodo.
He disclosed that some parts of his chiefdom are facing acute water shortage and that he is having sleepless night as he is constantly receiving messages from his sub chiefs and other community people about the spate of water shortage in their communities and the implication they are facing. He said women and children are everyday moving from one community to another in some areas in search of safe drinking water for domestic use a condition that is having adverse effect on education and their health. He explained that before the war Water Aid started some gravity water project in some parts of his Chiefdom but the work came to a halt when the war intensified and all the materials supplied to the chiefdom were consumed by the war.
He identified five areas currently in the chiefdom that has gravity water sources that are in dire need of safe drinking water, that is Yorgoima and Talia communities in Golama section with one water source between the two settlements, Massahun community in Golama section and Songo in Bundoryama section have one source, Gbewubu community has its own source, Madina and Jagor communities both less than one mile apart has a water source and Guala community where the hydroelectricity dam is located also has gravity source. He revealed that the cost of power saw licenses in his chiefdom has risen from seven hundred thousand Leones (Le700,000) to three million Leones (Le3m) per year and that they will continue to increase the amount with the aim of discouraging power saw operators in the Chiefdom there by protecting the water sources.
The Chief said he prefers gravity water supply than water well adding since he came to office thirteen years ago the gravity water system he met in the chiefdom are still functioning.
The regional coordinator Office of National Security (ONS) Abdul Karim Will confirmed that he has got the report of acute water crisis in Dodo chiefdom, a situation he described as unfortunate. He said the situation is a security concern and that he is worried about the fate of residents, as some might have resulted to the use of unsafe water sources for their domestic use, which has health implications.
He promised that the issue will soon be discussed at Provincial Security Committee (PROSEC) level and that he will call the attention of SALWACO for their immediate intervention, but hopes that other humanitarian organizations will immediately come on board in complementing the effort of government.
By Saffa Moriba
Wednesday June 29, 2016
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