GOMPA, Nimba – Rep. Jeremiah Koung of Nimba’s first district is soon expected to dedicate water pumps recently constructed in some of the district’s communities as part of the Legislative Earmarked Projects program.

The water pumps aim to reduce water shortages that most communities experience, especially during the dry seasons.

“The hand pumps have being done… 18 or 19 of them are completed and hopefully, before the weekend, the balance will be finished,” Koung said.

District residents decided to construct the hand pumps because there were limited funds for a more desired project – building a fence around the John Wesley Pearson High School, the oldest public school in Ganta.

“We wanted to do the fencing of the J. W. Pearson High School Campus, but it will cost us US$150,000 to do the project and plaster the walls, and US$140,000 if we don’t plaster the walls,” Koung said. “So, [the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment] did the estimated cost of doing one well, and they told us that it will cost US$3,500 to do one. We will do this first, and look for money to do the rest of the other communities.”

Koung, realizing the need to augment the original 20 hand pumps, committed himself to building an additional 30 pumps in communities that experience high levels of water shortage.

“This weekend, we will be dedicating at least 20 to 25 hand pumps… maybe by Saturday,” he said. “So, we will be calling the community leaders to meet with them and present the hand pumps to them so our people to start using it.”

Koung noted that access to clean water is a serious issue and he is doing everything possible in addressing the situation.

The project was approved to be done in 20 communities, through the US$70,000 provided per district in each year’s budget. The project is being implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah