Rural town lacks safe drinking water

By Edwin N. Khakie

Saybah Town, Bong County — Since its founding in 1958, Saybah Town in Electoral District #2, Bong County, has lacked access to necessities such as clean and safe drinking water.

The town has never had a single hand pump installed. For decades, residents have depended entirely on an open well, an often-contaminated source, for drinking, cooking, and daily use.

Elder Flomo T. Saybah, a respected community leader, recently spoke to journalists on behalf of the town, raising alarm over what he described as a growing public health crisis. He stressed that the continued use of unsafe water has led to an increase in waterborne illnesses such as diarrhea, upset stomach, malaria, and skin infections, particularly affecting children and the elderly.

“This has been our way of life since the town was founded,” Elder Saybah lamented. “But the health risks are worsening, and our people are suffering.”

He is now calling on the Government of Liberia, local authorities, and humanitarian organizations to urgently address the situation by installing at least one hand pump in the town. He emphasized that such an intervention is critical to safeguarding the health and well-being of the residents.

“We are not asking for much—just access to clean and safe drinking water, something every citizen deserves,” he said.

Residents of Saybah Town continue to hope that their long-standing appeal will finally receive the attention it deserves.