As Youths Continue to show Leadership Samuel Bangura A Success To SALWACO
As Sierra Leonean youths continue to demonstrate that they are the leaders of today and not tomorrow, many young Sierra Leoneans, who are entrusted with leadership roles in society are making the youths proud as they continue to flourish in their respective roles. Most of them have shown that gone are the days when youths were considered as leaders of tomorrow while our old folks deprived them from contributing to the development of our country.
In the last five years or decade ago, our country has seen young men and women from various works of life exhibiting exemplary leadership that is hugely contributing to the development of our great country. One of such young individuals is Samuel Bangura, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).
Samuel Bangura is a young man around his late thirties who since his substantive appointment as the Director General of SALWACO in March, 2014, has been a huge success to the once dormant and almost dead institution.
Before his appointment, he was the Finance Director of the company in October, 2009 during which he performed exceptionally well; a result which precipitated his elevation to the position of Acting Director General in June, 2013.
Since taking over as head of the institution, Samuel Bangura has brought tremendous success to the institution and the entire Sierra Leonean society in terms of service delivery as catalogued below.
As he inherited almost dead water and institutional systems constructed by the French (Degremont Systems) in the 1970s; a system which had forty –two water supply systems and of which forty were greatly affected by the lack of funds, poor maintenance and non-payment of bills by customers climaxed by the destruction during the eleven years civil war, the young man was faced with the herculean tasks of rebuilding the public image of the institution and donor confidence in order to achieve the goals for which the institution was created. These tasks were successful surmounted by this industrious young man and as I put this piece together, the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) is now among one of the most enviable institutions in the country courtesy of Samuel Bangura.
Since 2013-2017, the dynamic Director General and team have taken key strides in addressing the dire need of water in communities under their purview including Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Pujehun, Kailahun, Mile 91 (Yonibana), Magburaka, Portloko, Kabala and Lunsar among others, which had not enjoyed pipe-borne water for over twenty years, by reconstructing water systems in these communities which are now enjoying water supply steadily.
The company through the leadership of Samuel Bangura has been able to attract government and donor confidence into supporting projects and programs of the institution and as a result, has been able to complete the following projects including Lunsar Water Supply System, Pujehun Water Supply System, Kailahun Water Supply System, Mile 91/Yonibana Water System, Lungi Water Supply System, 183 Improved Sanitation Facilities for Schools, Health Centers and Public Places, Kabala Water Supply Project, Three Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project (Bo, Kenema and Makeni), completion of the construction of New Account Building, Store and Ultra-Modern Information Center at Head Office, Construction of the Kissy Office for Engineering Operations, Rehabilitation and furnishing of Bo Office, construction and complete furnishing of Administrative buildings in Bo, Kenema and Makeni.
These projects and programs are not only completed in required time but also done with international best standards that gained the admiration of all those funding the institution including the Government of Sierra Leone, Africa Development Bank among others.
Several other projects are also ongoing with support from multi-partners as a result of the trust and confidence they have in the institution’s leadership. Some of the ongoing projects include the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP) covering Kambia, Koinadugu, Kono, Pujehun and Bonthe District, Rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Blama Water Supply System, Three Towns (Bo, Kenema and Makeni) Water Supply Project Extension and construction of 49 Solar Powered Boreholes with 10 Sand-Pipes for each and Hand Dug Wells among others.
The success stories of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) under the leadership of a youthful Samuel Bangura cannot be overemphasized and definitely cannot be well said in just a single article, but however, it is suffice to say that the young Director General is an example for all youths that is worth emulating.
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara
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