FORZON, Margibi-Water is life. For Forzohn, a small rural town in lower Margibi County that heavily depends on a creek that glimmers deceptively under the sun, it is a source of sickness and despair for its residents.
By Siaway T. Miapue, [email protected] with JournalRage
On a quiet afternoon, Tutugirl Muyea, visibly pregnant and exhausted, stands by the edge of the creek with an empty bucket. She leaves her pair of pink slippers at the edge to take baby steps in a creek that is rapidly drying out as the dry season approaches. The water she draws will be used to cook for her family, quench their thirst, and keep them alive—but at a cost.
“It gets dry to ground level–you can’t even find [a] drop of water there,” she says, her voice laced with frustration. “We are so embarrassed about the water business.”
In Forzohn, water is a daily battle. The sole hand pump in the town produces foul-smelling water during the dry season. For everything else, residents rely on the creek which dries up periodically. The consequences of this scarcity, however, run deeper than just inconvenience.
This inconvenience is bothersome for Samuel G. Goll, Town Chief of Forzohn Town, who wants the immediate attention of the government.
“We are calling on the government’s attention to be able to help us with safe drinking in our community,” he pleaded. “The community is dry; if not, our people will continue to come down with diarrhea and other sickness.”
Justina Barnue explained her younger son fell ill and the doctor confirmed he suffered from cholera- Photo: Siaway T. Miapue
A Mother’s Cry
On the other side of the town, Justina Barnue shares her story. Her youngest son had fallen gravely ill. His stomach had swollen, and diarrhea left him weak. At the hospital, the doctor’s verdict was crystal clear: cholera.
“The last time, my son was sick, his stomach was running. We carried him to the hospital, and they [the doctor] say that Cholera; the water your drinking is not good,” she recalls, her voice trembling.
Still, the water is all they have. “No water, we[are] forced to drink ay [it], but our heart [is]not satisfied for us to drink ay [it],” Justina says. “I telling the government to bring safe drinking water for us, we [are] begging them.”
A Human Rights Violation
Access to clean water is a basic human right, according to the United Nations. In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared that access to clean water and sanitation is “essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.”
This principle is enshrined in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which obligates governments to ensure their citizens have adequate standards of living, including safe drinking water.
Despite this, Forzohn’s residents, like millions of others in rural Liberia, are left to fend for themselves. According to UNICEF, 42% of Liberians lack access to safe drinking water, with the situation being even worse in rural areas. Approximately 1.3 million people do not have clean water near their homes, accounting for nearly a quarter of the population.
Furthermore, nearly 500 children under the age of five die each year from diarrhea caused by contaminated water, inadequate sanitation facilities, and poor hygiene, as reported by WaterAid in 2024.
Atty. Urias Teh Pour, a human rights advocate and Executive Director of INCHR- By: Siaway T. Miapue
Atty. Urias Teh Pour, a human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) Liberia called the water crisis a gross neglect of fundamental rights.
“Water is life,” he says.“The government’s failure to provide clean drinking water to its people violates their dignity and right to health. This is not just a local issue; it is a breach of Liberia’s obligations under international treaties.”
A Town Forgotten
For Forzohn’s residents, the inaction feels like abandonment. Tutugirl Muyea explains the lengths at which they have gone to for help. “We na [have] sent request no way–commissioner, representative oo, no one to help,” she laments.
The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) has distanced itself from the issue by citing its limited mandate. Mohammed Ali, the Managing Director of the LWSC, explained, “As per the LWSC’s Act, the corporation is not responsible for safe water provision in rural communities… that falls under the Ministry of Public Works.”
According to Ali, their responsibilities are restricted to urban areas with populations of 5,000 or more. This leaves smaller towns like Forzohn without assistance.
But a cursory review of the LWSC’s Act contradicts Ali’s claim. Count one of section 88.2 mandates the LWSC to manage, develop, construct, and supply water and sewage services, along with related equipment and facilities. Additionally, count two of the act requires the corporation to establish and maintain water and sewer facilities throughout Liberia and to exercise its corporate powers both in Liberia and abroad as needed.
Atty. Pour termed Ali’s statement “a feeble excuse” that “violates every fundamental principle of human rights.”
The Human Toll
According to the World Health Organization, contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio.
Absent inadequate or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals including rural communities like Forzon to preventable health risks.
Sekouba Kamara, a water sanitation expert, warns that without immediate intervention, the consequences will be catastrophic. “Waterborne diseases like cholera and dysentery will continue to claim lives, especially among pregnant women and children,” he says. “And when water sources dry up, as they often do in towns like Forzohn, malnutrition and dehydration set in.”
Tutugirl Muyea is worried about the lack of safe water in her town- Photo: Siaway T. Miapue
The burden on pregnant women like Tutugirl is especially heavy. “We are appealing to the government to please come and help us with safe drinking water,” she pleads. “All of us will die in this town here if they don’t bring safe drinking water.”
A Global Crisis
The plight of Forzohn’s residents mirrors a global water crisis. According to the World Health Organization, 785 million people worldwide lack access to basic drinking water. In sub-Saharan Africa, women and children often walk long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources, perpetuating cycles of poverty and disease.
Atty. Urias Teh Pour believes the government must act immediately to uphold its citizens’ rights. “Liberia is a signatory to the ICESCR and other international treaties. The government must prioritize water and sanitation infrastructure as a matter of human rights, not charity. If these issues are left unaddressed, the country risks not only more preventable deaths but also its global standing,” he said.
As the town waits, the creek water continues to flow—polluted, inadequate, and deadly.
‘This story was funded by the European Union under the Liberia Media Empowerment Project (LMEP). Its contents are the sole responsibility of journalRAGE and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.’
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