Bong & Nimba to Benefit US$80M Pipe-borne Water Project

By: Matalay Kollie, Bong County Correspondent

Gbarnga, Bong County-March 19, 2023: Residents of Bong and Nimba Counties are expected to benefit from pipe borne water project valued at US$80 million dollars.

Bong County Superintendent Esther Walker made the disclosure recently in Gbarnga, Bong County during a media engagement.

Gbarnga and Ganta are amongst the cities in Liberia that do have a pipe-borne water supply system. Hand pumps exist, though but not in large numbers to serve the cities and the districts, and many of those pumps are non-functional.

According to the Bong county Superintendent, the water project is being sponsored by an international organization or NGO called ‘ASCO’ which is owned and operated by a son of Nimba County, based in the United States of America.

Madam Walker further revealed that the organization will work with the Government of Liberia through its long-standing partner USAID to ensure the success of the project.

Superintendent Walker said the 80 million dollar water project is an assurance of President George M. Weah’s Government commitment to providing basic social services to the Liberian people.

The Bong Superintendent noted that both cities will benefit from 40 million United States Dollars each for the project.
“I have been appealing to the head of ASCO; that Gbarnga now has electricity, but there is no pipe-borne water. We need pipe-borne water, our citizens cannot continue to be fetching water from open Wells in the city; as God could have it he responded to me recently that he lobbied with partners in the US and he was able to get 80 million for Gbarnga and Ganta for the pipe-borne water project,” Supt. Walker noted.

However, the finalization of the water project will be done in April of this year, at which time ASCO executive director will be in Liberia.

“If we finalize the discussion surrounding the project it will be a big boost for our County because we will now be making use of our water towel around the John Flomo Bakalu High School campus. It can’t just be standing when our people are drinking Well water in the City.”

The tough-talking Bong County female Superintendent has urged residents of the benefiting Counties to take proper ownership of the project and use it to improve their lives when it’s constructed or completed.

Madam Walker said: “President George Weah is passionate about the plight of the poor, and has directed Government’s development focus on improving the livelihood of the poor in the Country.”