STATEMENT OF OUTCOMES SIERRA LEONE S SECOND WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) CONFERENCE, BINTUMANI HOTEL, FREETOWN, July 2014

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1 STATEMENT OF OUTCOMES SIERRA LEONE S SECOND WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) CONFERENCE, BINTUMANI HOTEL, FREETOWN, July 2014 THEME: WASH SERVICES DELIVERY FOR PROSPERITY Background to the Conference The 2 nd Annual Review Conference on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) was held from the 14 th to 15 th July 2014 in Freetown at the Bintumani Hotel. The theme of the Conference was WASH Services Delivery for Prosperity. The main objective of the Conference was to take stock of the current status of WASH in Sierra Leone and to identify the way forward. Specific objectives of the conference were to: I. Discuss issues of water Security and how it can be harnessed for better service delivery. II. Take stock of the status of the achievements of the water and sanitation Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Sierra Leone, reviewing key achievements and challenges and adopting strategies and actions for accelerating the achievement of targets. III. IV. Assess how changes in behavior patterns can help in the delivery of WASH. Create a platform for Sierra Leone's political leadership, water sector professionals, stakeholders and partners to discuss opportunities and challenges of achieving water security for Sierra Leone's socio-economic development. V. Provide updates on the current sector institutional, legal and regulatory reforms. VI. Brainstorm on how to overcome the challenges that the Sector still faces. Participation The 2 nd WASH conference was very well-attended, with over 300 participants on Day One, including a number of Cabinet Ministers; and 220 participants on Day Two. On behalf of H.E Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the conference was formally opened by Professor Monty Jones, Special Adviser to the President. Opening Session President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, in his Keynote Address read on his behalf by Professor Monty Jones, noted that Sierra Leone has substantial water resources and ways need to be found to harness and supply water to the people in a sustainable manner. He said since the National Water and Sanitation Policy was launched three years ago many advanced targets were set adding there have been tremendous improvement in water supply and sanitation service in many communities 1

2 in Sierra Leone. He mentioned that Government has rehabilitated many of the water supply systems destroyed during the war and pointed out that coverage in water supply has increased in recent years as a result, although there are still challenges. These challenges need to be looked into, fashioning ways that will increase the rate of service delivery for water and sanitation in the rural and urban areas. "It is not enough to get the water flowing, we must keep the water flowing in a sustainable manner" he stated. He said sustaining water and sanitation delivery in Sierra Leone is very similar to the aspirations of many other developing nations beyond He maintained that coordination and collaboration can do a great deal to address the problems. Professor Jones remarked that water, hygiene and sanitation are paramount to achieving most of the targets set out in the Agenda for Prosperity. He went on to say that it is also important to urge communities to embrace best practices in hygiene and sanitation whilst emphasizing that cleanliness is next to godliness and results in a healthy life as well as development. The Professor also stated that a gradual transition was essential so that beneficiaries understand that water and sanitation services are not free and should be paid for, to sustain the management of the facilities. The then Minister of Health and Sanitation, Ms. Miatta Kargbo, in her statement noted that waterrelated diseases are responsible for the death of over 40% of children under the age of five. She explained that as part of the initiatives to manage the supply of water and improve sanitation and good hygiene practices the Ministry of Health and Sanitation is currently revising and updating the Sanitation Policy and the Public Health Ordinance to address emerging health and sanitation issues. The Ministry is also developing the capacity of the Environmental and Health Directorate to assume leadership of national sanitation coordination so that marginalized groups are factored into planning for accessibility to proper sanitation and hygiene. She called for increased investment in the WASH sector with an integrated approach, linking the Ministries of Health and Sanitation and Water Resources, to ensure effective collaboration. The Minister of Water Resources, Hon. Momodu Maligi III catalogued a number of sector activities. I think we have made progress. Over the past 12 months we have begun the process of fully devolving assets and staff to local councils so that they can perform their proper functions at the front-line of WASH delivery; set key guidelines for rural water supply and continued the reforms of the utilities for urban supply; consolidated our hydrological monitoring efforts as a foundation for effective national water resources management; and developed a framework for sharing information, knowledge and experience between all the WASH actors. He mentioned that his Ministry is now collaborating strongly with Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other partners. He informed that a pre-feasibility study had been carried out on the River Rokel Water Supply Project aimed at improving Freetown Water Supply, for which a funding proposal has been submitted with the hope that the project could commence in

3 The representative of the WASH Development Partners, Mr. Martin Walshe, noted that significant progress has been made in the WASH sector in recent years and these have to be sustained. He nevertheless enumerated a number of areas which needed more attention, particularly in respect to improving the management of rural and small town water supply systems. The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hon. Keifala Marah, in his statement, commended the WASH sector for the progress and gave his fullest commitment to ensuring that the sector receives the priority it deserves in national budgeting. The Chairperson for the occasion was Madam Hadijatu Jalloh, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency. She shared insights on the links between WASH services and the burdens of women and children and the sustainable management of the country s natural endowments to support its growth agenda. In his Welcome Address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Charles Kamanda, catalogued a number of ongoing reform initiatives which are meant to address the current WASH sector challenges. On behalf of the technical and administrative cadre of the WASH sector, he committed to doing more to increase access to improved water supply and sanitation services. Whilst we will continue to face challenges, we assure you that we will do more and complain less, he noted. All the speakers used the occasion to draw attention to the unfortunate scourge of the ebola outbreak and shared in the grief of those who had lost loved ones. They advised all Sierra Leoneans to heed the advice of the health professionals, avoid obsolete customs and also practise good personal hygiene, to complement the efforts of the Government in containing the disease. Thematic Presentations and Deliberations Over the two days participants deliberated on a number of thematic areas, including water resources management, status of the WASH sector in meeting policy and MDGs targets in relation to drinking water supply (urban water supply rural water supply) and environmental sanitation, as well as crosscutting issues such as gender, private sector participation, accountability and sustainability. 3

4 Outcomes The following issues were highlighted by participants. Project and programme design and implementation: Ensure there is a real demand for the water supply and sanitation services being provided and that a range of technology options are presented to households and communities. Ensure households and communities are fully informed of the likely life cycle costs (operation, maintenance and eventual rehabilitation) of their services, and that viable tariff structures, or other arrangements, are put in place to generate the necessary revenues, but in a manner which takes full account of those unable to pay (disadvantaged, disabled, elderly). Ensure best practices are followed in accordance with Ministry strategy documents and guidelines. Ensure all water supply and sanitation service delivery is planned, designed and implemented directly with Local Councils. Sector Financing and Investment The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) to begin development of a National WASH Sector Investment Plan for completion by quarter two of All 19 Local Councils to complete finalized Local WASH Investment Plans by quarter two of MWR and MoHS to establish a multi-stakeholder Sector Budget Working Group that will coordinate funding flows into the WASH Sector and identify areas for investment/support. Manpower, capital and recurrent start-up and annual budgets for regulators and the new MoHS Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate to be submitted in time for Government s 2015 Budget process. Legal Reforms The WASH Inter-Ministerial Committee and Parliamentary Oversight Committee on WASH to ensure that the National Water Resources Management bill and amended utility bills are enacted by quarter two of A series of national and local level engagements to be organized to explain the provisions of the National Water Resources Act when passed. 4

5 Sector Coordination MWR/MoHS to institutionalize quarterly meetings of the Donor Partners. MWR/MoHS continue to support the multi-stakeholder Sector Policy Coordination Team (SPCT) to inform policies and planning, and support the Sector Learning initiative. Ministry of Lands Country, Planning and Environment to be invited to participate in sector meetings and processes on appropriate issues, particularly in relation to protection of water catchment areas. Institutional Reform The MoHS Environmental Sanitation and Health Directorate Manpower Budget for 2015 to be approved in quarter two of 2014, with functional levels of recruitment by quarter one of 2015 The Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) will have secured funding, recruited key staff to the Secretariat and be performing core functions by quarter four of The National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA) to have recruited key staff at headquarter level, be performing essential core functions and have defined organization development and business plan by quarter one of The MWR to have fully devolved staff, assets and budget lines linked to functions decentralized under the Local Government Act 2004 to Local Councils by end quarter two of MoHS Sanitation technical staff to be assigned to help Local Councils plan and implement devolved sanitation functions in their localities. Capacity Building Ensure MWR Water Directorate, MoHS Environmental Sanitation and Health Directorate, and the regulators have effective leadership and can perform essential functions routinely. Ensure water utilities are accountable to their customers. Support capacity building of national drilling companies. Put in place effective arrangements to support the capacity of Local Councils so they can provide effective external support to households and communities. Water Resource Management Ensure learning generated through the Sierra Leone water security project is disseminated widely at national and international levels. Encourage WASH organisations to engage in measuring water resources using simple monitoring techniques for rainfall, groundwater and streams. 5

6 Continue to lay the foundations for establishing the National Water Resources Management Agency so effective water resources management and regulation is applied. Sector Learning Encourage all WASH organisations to document and widely disseminate their field experiences and studies in conformity with the national WASH Sector Learning Framework. The Sector Learning Partnership to take active measures to involve others in debate, reflection, learning and action arising from these studies. Commission a study to identify how functionality and seasonality of water points vary spatially. Support other relevant studies on WASH sustainability. Commission a study to identify how best to take pilot projects to scale. Environmental Sanitation MoHS and sector stakeholders to develop a rural sanitation strategy to accelerate access to adequate sanitation services. Hygiene forms the basis of WASH therefore MoHS and Sector partners will focus on behaviour change communication to ensure sustained use of WASH facilities in hygienic manner and on sufficient scale, to accrue the required health benefits. MoHS/ Directorate of Environmental Health and Sanitation will convene a sanitation conference in 2014 to consult with sanitation stakeholders in order to galvanise acceleration for access to sanitation and hygiene in Sierra Leone. Monitoring Encourage all WASH sector agencies to maintain records of functionality and utilisation of water supply and sanitation services. Ensure that knowledge and learning generated through monitoring is understood and applied. Work with government institutions and WASH sector agencies to ensure the learning and outcomes of the water point mapping are applied. Strengthen government monitoring and mapping systems so that water point mapping data can be updated and published routinely. 6

7 Commitments The Conference noted that the way forward for the sector is to fully commit to the sustainability of service delivery through: Strengthened sector coordination at national, local and community levels to ensure that all sector actors have the same shared vision and implement similar approaches; Support relevant studies and learning on the delivery of permanent WASH services Water Utilities being accountable to their customers in all aspects of their service delivery, whilst customers recognise the need to pay for the maintenance of those services; and The enactment of the various bills, notably the National Water Resources Management Bill, SALWACO Bill, Guma Valley Water Company Bill and the Public Health Bill to provide the needed legal framework that supports sustainable management of the resource, improved service delivery, accountability, equity and inclusion, sustainability and assured sector funding. Appreciation The Conference expressed its appreciation to HE Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma for his continued support to the WASH sector, also to the Special Adviser and Cabinet Ministers, City Mayors and Council Chairmen who participated in its Opening, Plenary and Parallel Sessions. The Ministries of Water Resources and Health and Sanitation would also like to thank its Development Partners - notably the African Development Bank, UK s Department of International Development (DfID), Japan International Development Co-operation, the Chinese and Indian Governments, Islamic Development Bank, World Bank and the Water and Sanitation Programme for their continued support. Funding for the Conference was provided by DfID. 7