UYPETDL National Executive Director Shared Liberia Water Accountability Experiences & WaterAid Liberia Report Findings in Ghana

On September 1, 2025, the National Executive Director of the United Youth for Peace, Education, Transparency, and Development in Liberia (UYPETDL) Inc. was invited to share water accountability experience in Liberia with water professionals from around the world. The event, which was organized by Water Witness International in Ghana, brought together water professionals from the UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, the United States of America, and Ethiopia.  

Accountability for Water is a new action and research programme to strengthen accountability practice in the water sector. Timothy Kpeh and Jonah S. Toe from Liberia were part of the Professional Research Fellowships granted to ensure that their skills developed, as well as the research findings, remain as a legacy within the sector and shape the future of water accountability, and the first phase of the project started in 2020.

Timothy Kpeh's research, conducted in 2022, focused on Accountability Challenges In The Liberia Water-Supply Sector: LWSC in Robertsport and Kakata  funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and managed by the Partnership For African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), supported by Water Witness International, KEWASNET, and Shahidi Wa Maji.

Kpeh's research was intended to ensure the following:

1.    To examine the accountability cycle of the LWSC Water Supply System and users’ perceptions in line with donors’ support

2.    Stakeholders to be more responsive to the needs of water users

3.     Strengthening legal, regulatory, social, and political accountability aimed at improving water security.

4.     Share research findings, knowledge, and evidence to strengthen accountability and good water sector governance.

5.    Accelerate and ensure equitable delivery of the SDG goal 6 ‘sustainable water and sanitation for all by 2030

Timothy highlighted progress made in the WASH sector of Liberia since the launch of his research report in 2023, which includes

•       Improved Legislative oversight on WASH

•       WASH Accountability Forum launched in 2023.

•       House’s Standing Committee on WASH & Environment established in 2024

•       Private Sector involvement in managing the LWSC outstations' water projects

•       User feedback and response strategy & campaign launched.

•       Secured additional funding for CSOs' advocacy

•       Informed CSOs on WASH advocacy, using the research as a tool for engagement

Kpeh used the opportunity to share the WaterAid Liberia WASH Cost Benefit Analysis Report Findings. According to the report launched in 2025, US$231 million is lost every year due to inaction for WASH, that’s US$44 per person, or 5.3% of the country’s GDP. 54% of this loss is from time wasted collecting water or searching for a toilet, time that could be spent in school, at work, or with family. 27% is from premature deaths, lives cut short because of preventable diseases linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation. That report further mentioned that 9.5% is lost productivity, people too sick to work or learn, and 9.4% is direct healthcare costs, US$22 million, draining already stretched health budgets.

To access the water accountability report: https://www.accountabilityforwater.org/liberia