The Guma Valley Water Company Board of Directors and Management concluded a 3-day inspection of ongoing projects and water catchment areas across the Western Area on April 19th, 2024.
The purpose of the tour was for the Board members to closely monitor the progress of various projects aimed at increasing access to potable water supply and engage in discussions with contractors to understand the challenges they face at their project sites. The Board also aimed to assess the situation of various water catchments, especially those around the Mile 13 Dam at Sussex.
The team visited project sites at the Allen Town Reservoir, Kongo Dam, and Babadorie Reservoir at Regent, the Hill Station Circular Tank, the Angola Water Supply System, the Gbogboyema Gravity Water Supply Scheme at Waterloo, and the Mambo Gravity Water Supply Scheme.
Additionally, the Board visited the encroached and deforested areas around the Guma Dam at Banga Farm, Sussex, and the River No. 2 Communities.
The Board noted that all ongoing project activities were generally satisfactory, except for funding constraints that are presently affecting the project timelines for the completion of the Gbogboyema and Mambo Gravity Water Supply Schemes.
Speaking after the completion of the tour, the Chairman of the Board, Hon. Bintu Myers, called on the government to prioritize the protection of the water catchment areas around the Guma Dam at Mile 13 and release funding so that the stalled projects at Gbogboyema and Mambo can be completed and commissioned.
“During the tour, we also followed up on issues of deforestation around the Guma Dam area that were brought to the attention of the Government. In April of 2022, President Bio visited the Guma Dam and made some strong pronouncements against those individuals who are engaged in such acts. However, since then, the situation has gotten even worse. We are therefore calling on the government to take serious legal actions against those involved in land grabbing and deforestation of the water catchment areas, or the water supply situation in Freetown will continue to deteriorate every year as a result of these wicked acts.”
The Board members promised to discuss the challenges noted during the tour with the government and other stakeholders and to come up with solutions so that the stalled water supply projects can continue.
