By Jariatu S. Bangura
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, the Opposition Whip in Parliament, has criticised the government’s insufficient budgetary allocation to the water sector, highlighting a discrepancy between spending on health issues arising from poor water quality and the prevention of such diseases.
Kamara emphasised that water-related diseases are more prevalent in the country than any other type of illness.
“Even the water we drink from sachets is not adequately preserved, leading the government to spend more money on curing these diseases rather than preventing them,” he stated.
He pointed out that the annual budgets presented to Parliament for Guma Valley are consistently low. “How can we expect them to work effectively with an unsatisfactory budget?” Kamara questioned.
He argued that without substantial resource allocation by MPs, the water sector cannot improve.
Illustrating his point, Kamara described visiting Wilberforce to the State Lodge, where the first sight is water tankers supplying water to the area, despite the availability of Guma Valley resources. “If Guma Valley cannot supply water to the Presidency, what does that mean for ordinary citizens? Even Parliament has to buy water,” he remarked.
Supporting Kamara’s stance, the presiding Speaker, Hon. Segepor Solomon Thomas, agreed on the necessity of investing in the water sector.
Deputy Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, also commented on the issue, noting the visible struggle for water in the city. “You see people, including children, struggling to fetch water,” he said.
Silikie addressed Fonnie, a nominee for a position in Guma Valley, warning him of the significant challenges ahead. He urged Fonnie to work diligently with his team to improve the water sector, emphasizing that access to water should not be a struggle for the people.
