Antouman Saho, minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters recently launched the IDB-funded rural water supply project costing US$4. 875 million, at a ceremony held at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister Saho said that the IDB rural water supply project will provide 100 water points targeting 40,000 people who will be guaranteed 35 litres per day per person in four divisions of The Gambia. He observed that this is yet another important milestone in the government's development agenda and impeccable drive in attaining the sector's goal of ensuring 100 per cent access to portable water for the entire population in line with the Vision 2020 objectives.

According to him, time for fetching water will be shortened and the heavy burden hitherto being endured in fetching water, especially by women and children in the targeted population, will be greatly reduced. He added that women will also have more time at their disposal to undertake income generating activities and that it will allow children to devote more time to their studies and other leisure activities. He further said that by increasing access and volume of portable water for the targeted population, the project would lead to better sanitation and health conditions, particularly for children and women. Saho observed that cases of water-borne and water-related diseases such as diarrhoea will also decrease.

Minister Saho therefore assured IDB of the government's commitment to finance the cost of 24 boreholes equipped with hand pumps together with the associated surface works, and a vehicle for the Project Monitoring Unit. "In the wake of the food crisis, which is a wake-up call for all the Gambians, the need to harness the water resources to enhance agricultural production cannot be over-emphasized. We at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, in line with the water policy, have elaborated tangible plans for the conservation and sustainable use of our water resources. These plans include the water sector reform within the context of integrated water resources management.

This reform will create the enabling legislative, legal and administrative environment for the sustainable management and use of our precious water resources. We would therefore call on all and sundry to assist Government in this reform process," Minister Saho noted. "Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, the President, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, we want to assure everyone of our commitments to register more milestone in the water sector for the benefit of all Gambians and generations yet unborn," he concluded.