Members of Parliament endorsed his statement while they were contributing to the Report.
Giving an insight in to the Report, the Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Water Resources, Hon. Sualiho Koroma said based on the alarming water crisis in the country, the Committee conducted a three days engagement with the management of Guma Valley Water Company, MDAs, and the donor community to chart the way forward which was aimed at salvaging the current water crisis in Freetown.
He said the water supply system has been deplorable with many communities going without water for days or months adding that the situation may have very negative effects mainly on women and children which result in high teenage pregnancy stating that the “current situation with the water supply in Freetown is critical”.
Among other recommendations highlighted in the Report of the Freetown Water Crisis and Presentation made by Guma Valley Water Company on the Encroachment on water catchment Areas in the Western Area which was laid on the table of Parliament on the 17th May, 2016, Hon. Koroma said within the next 12 month “reclaiming catchment lands and reforestation of the catchment”.
Another recommendation preferred is that the government should set up protection of the Western Area Forest Reserve adding that such action should include patrol by the forest reserve by the security forces in order to prevent any further destruction to the catchment.
Deliberating on the report, Members of Parliament stated that there are two factors responsible for the scarcity of water supply in Freetown; human and institutional problems.
According to Hon. Bernadette Lahai the manmade problem has to do with people tampering with the sustainable safe drinking water stating that people empty their garbage in the drainages when it’s raining therefore contaminate the water explaining that the non-human problem has to do with institutional failures stating that there are so many regulations surrounding the present water crisis but it’s not being implemented.
Hon. IB Kargbo said even if Guma is giving Le20 billion a day, as long as the systems are not put in place, the situation will end up in desertification, death and people will flee to other countries.