Ongoing Legislative Latrine Project in Salayea Likely to Cause Health Hazards

By Jangar Boimah Johnson

The ongoing construction of a public latrine in Salayea Town in Lofa County is likely to cause health hazards to residents when completed due to its closeness to the community’s well and handpump. Standard sanitation practice demands that public latrine should be located 15-30 meters (50-100 feet) away from community well or vital sources.

But the current legislative latrine project in Salayea, Lofa County Electoral District #5, appears to be in total violation of such standardized sanitation protocol which calls for caution when building latrines in the communities.

The latrine project is being constructed near the community’s well and handpump-less than 50 feet away. The latrine erection which is part of Representative Augustine Chiewolo legislative project, is nearing completion and has six rooms. The project cost is put at US$17K United States Dollars.

Rural Reporters News Network (RRNN) visited the site and confirmed that the latrine is very closed to two major water sources, a well and a handpump.

Several residents residing behind the Salayea District Development Hall, who fetch water from the well and handpump have alarmed over the situation and called for a review of the project plan/design. Many of them who spoke to RRNN are predicting serious sanitation crisis if the latrine is completed and functioning. 

“From the well to the latrine is less the 30second”, one user of the handpump lamented, adding, they use the water for all their domestic activities including, cooking, washing and bathing.

Shockingly, Representative Augustine Chiewolo comes from a medical background. His decision to witness the erection of public latrine near the community’s well and handpump has created more questions than answers about his medical background.

When contacted for comments, Representative Chiewolo requested RRNN to visit the site of the project. “Good morning. Please visit the site”, the Lofa County District #5 Representative responded to RRNN.

Public health specialists say the representative should have known better even if it was the community members who selected the site for the construction of the latrine. He has come under serious criticism by environmentalists and concerned community members. 

“We are frustrated in our district lawmaker. Hon. Augustine Chiewolo for his  ongoing legislative project in this area, can you imagine, we have our hand pump and well here, where we usually fetch water for drinking, cooking and washing, but the lawmaker chooses to erect toilet on top of our hand pump and well, this is the only functional hand pump we have in this area that is serving over 100 residents in this community, but the lawmaker wants to create health hazards for us in the future, for God sake, how will you say, you are medical personnel, but you behaving like someone who has no knowledge about health hazards” Some of the residents said in an angry voice.

The citizens, however, called on health authorities to intervene by putting stop to the $17k latrine project that is nearing completion to avoid future health and environmental crisis.

Some residents recounted that the hand pump is the only source of safe drinking for the community members, and called for urgent action from the Ministry of Health and Environmental Protection Agency.