Title of session

Building Capacity in Liberia’s WASH SectorChristine Ochieng

30 May 2013

Liberia

Monrovia

Area: 111,369 sqkm / 43,000 sqmPopulation: 4.12 IMF EstimatesGDP per capita: $374

Evolution of the Liberian WASH Sector

Phase 1

Direct humanitarian

support

2004 - 2007

Phase 2

Post Conflict Support

2007 - 2011

Phase 3 Development / Rehabilitation

Support

2012

Civil crisis from 1979

14 years of war

1989 - 2003

Sector Actors and Key Plans

Ministries:Public Works (lead)Health and Social WelfareEducationLands Mines & EnergyInternal AffairsCorporation:Liberia Water and Sewer

5

Liberian training institutions and providers

Civil society(NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, networks)

Private sector

Government of Liberia, Ministries, Agencies,

Commissions, Corporations

County and district authorities

Enabling environment

Institutional (organisational)

Human

(Individual)

Media

Technical capacitiesWater supply services

Water quality analysis

Hydrogeology & hydrology

Excreta disposal

Hygiene promotion

Solid waste management

Functional capacitiesEngagement in multi-

stakeholder & cross-sectoral dialogue

Analysis & visioning

Formulation of policy, strategy & plans

Budgeting & financial management

Project management and implementation

Monitoring & evaluation

Stakeholders

Liberia WASH sector capacity development overview

Urban

County cities/ towns

Rural

Supply

Demand

Short term - medium term - longer term

Donors, UN

Capacity Development Analytical Framework (UNDP 2007)

Overview of Findings (Demand)Enabling Environment• Active coordination structures• Need to clarify WASH responsibilities in towns/cities outside Monrovia • Regulatory framework not yet in place

Institutional Capacities• Lack of vehicles, computers, offices and major infrastructure gaps • Poor pay, delays in payments to some county level staff• Weak M& E systems

Human Capacities• Staff working with limited resources in challenging situations• Significant skills gap between senior public officials and others below• Inadequate numbers of staff at national and subnational level

Illustrating the findingsNational Water Resources Sanitation Board

Min of Public Works Bureau of Comm.

Services

Min of Health and Social WelfareE&OH Division

Min of EducSchool Health Prog.

- WASH Coordtor (15)- Pump Mechanic (15)- Social Worker (15)

- County Health Sup. (15)- Env. Health Tech (40)-County Health Coor (15) County Education

Officer (15)

- WASH Supervisor- Social WorkerAllocate in 136 districts

- Env. Health Technicians (529)

District Education Officer (136)

WSS Commission

County W

ASH Team

District

WASH

Team

- Water Engineer (15)- Port Health Off (15)- Water Qual. Tech (10)

University of Liberia - EngineeringBroken drawing tables – students use a ruler and paper for technical drawings

Upcoming library – there has been none up until now

Challenges in Supply of Capacity

• Higher education institutions were damaged in the war

• Too few instructional staff with correct qualifications

• Poor educational standard for students entering Engineering

• Imbalance between those in bachelors and technical vocational institutions

Unpacking the CD Plan 2012 - 2017

Highlights

• The Plan includes a range of items capital, operational

• Is a component of the Sector Investment Plan (SIP)

• SIP and CD Plan cover entire cost of sector strategic plans

• 5 year horizon, costs $ 74m

Implementing the planEdu-cation and Train-

ing costs16%

All othe

r costs84% in-

clude

staff, equipment,

pol-icy

devt. etc

Responding to the CD Plan

• What models can we follow?

• What role will local and international training institutions play in this implementation?

• What can WSP/UNESCO-IHE do together?

Propositions

• Develop technical training institutions at county level to be able to train and provide mentoring support to the high numbers of professionals and technicians needed to implement sector plans.

• Long term partnering with international institutions, which can provide assistance to develop appropriate courses and systems to the (new) technical institutions and help to bring in the funding needed to rebuild.

Purpose of 5th Symposium

Thank you for your attention.

Christine OchiengWater and Sanitation Program

cochieng@worldbank.org