Freetown International Conference Centre, Aberdeen, Freetown, Tuesday, 8 July 2025 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has officially launched the Water Security and WASH Access Project, a landmark $180 million, World Bank-funded initiative under the theme “Securing Water, Enabling Dignity, and Advancing Development.” The 10-year Multiphase Programmatic Approach aims to reach 4 million people by 2035, achieving 90% national WASH coverage.
In his keynote address, President Bio described the launch as a historic milestone in Sierra Leone’s ongoing quest for equity, dignity, and sustainable development. He emphasized that access to safe water and sanitation is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
“My government is guided by the belief that access to safe water and sanitation is not a favour extended to the few, but a right guaranteed to all,” the President declared. “That is why WASH is at the heart of our National Development Plan and central to our Human Capital Development agenda.”
The President decried the daily challenges faced by citizens, stating that no child should have to walk miles for water before school, no mother should risk infection during childbirth due to lack of clean water, and no community should endure the indignity of open defecation or waterborne diseases in the 21st century.
He affirmed that the new WASH programme marks a decisive step to break the cycle of deprivation. Structured in three progressive phases, the initiative provides a coherent roadmap to achieving water security and sanitation access nationwide. Each phase, he assured, will be robustly monitored, implemented with transparency, and tied to incentive-based delivery mechanisms.
President Bio said the programme envisions a future where water poverty is eradicated, girls stay in school thanks to improved sanitation, health facilities are safe and functional, ecosystems are protected, and 5,000 jobs, including 2,000 for women, are created through a gender-responsive recovery.
He also announced plans to establish a Water Administration House to consolidate oversight, regulation, and coordination within the sector. The President reaffirmed his government’s support to strengthen the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, to enforce standards, attract investment, and coordinate stakeholders.
“This multiphase programmatic approach is a shining example of what is possible when national ownership meets international solidarity,” he said, adding that the project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.
President Bio acknowledged the efforts of the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, the WASH sector public servants, GUMA Valley Water Company, SALWACO, EWRC, and the National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA), calling on all stakeholders to deliver with integrity and excellence.
“As your President, I reaffirm my full commitment to this agenda. We will ensure the programme is fully resourced and that every Sierra Leonean, in both rural hamlets and urban wards, feels the impact of this transformative investment,” he declared. “Water is not just a development commodity; it is a symbol of justice, a foundation of peace, and a building block of national resilience.”
World Bank Country Manager Dr Abdu Muwonge praised President Bio for his strong advocacy on behalf of the country, recalling how, President Bio personally made a plea in Washington for investment in Sierra Leone’s WASH sector two years ago, which, he noted, resulted in funding this transformative initiative.
Dr Muwonge urged a holistic and inclusive strategy, strengthening the capacity of sector institutions such as GUMA, SALWACO, and local councils, while calling for nationwide engagement in the stewardship of water resources.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr Sao-Kpato Hannah Max-Kyne, described the occasion as a defining moment in delivering President Bio’s development vision and called for national collaboration on implementation and the development of a clear, focused roadmap to address WASH sector challenges.
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