MONROVIA, Feb 14 (LINA) -The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 30 sets of computers and accessories costing about US$40,000, to the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC).
Making the donation Thursday, USAID Mission Director John Mark Winfield said the donation was one component of his entity's capacity building support to the LWSC under its Liberia Municipal Water Project.
Winfield revealed that USAID is supporting the training and mentoring of the corporation's staff, the strengthening of business systems and processes, and the upgrading g of key systems needed for outstation operations, through the Liberia Municipal Water Project.
The Liberia News Agency (LINA) quotes Mr. Winfield as saying that the U.S. Government has a long history of supporting the Government and people of Liberia to expand access to clean water.
He recounted that in 2013 alone, some 47,124 people throughout Liberia gained access to improved water supply with support from USAID; noting that most of the beneficiaries reside in rural areas.
Winfield also pointed out that his government was supporting the LWSC on a long-term project of re-establishing pipe-borne water systems that will eventually ensure that 90 percent of the populations of Sanniquellie, Robertsport and Voinjama have access to clean water.
He added that in line with the U.S. Government's commitment to support LWSC, USAID established the Liberia Municipal Water Project in 2011 on a four-year basis, and it is being implemented by Tetra Tech to support the design and planning of water infrastructure and the establishment of new locally managed outstations in the three cities.
Receiving the items, LWSC Managing Director, Charles Allen, thanked the U.S. Government for the gesture, and said the donation complements previous deliverables the corporation has received from USAID.
Mr. Allen described the donation as very important, because it will go a long way in enabling the LWSC central office to collect data on time from outstations and make prompt observations.
He, however, stressed that institutional and human capacity building, as well as provision of logistics were essential to ensuring that the corporation achieves its mandate.
LINA HVW/TSS/PTK