By Godgift Harris
Despite renewed government commitments to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, the country has continuously grappled with deep-seated structural challenges.
This has gone to the extent of threatening progress toward global sanitation targets.
In the wake of the challenges, the head of the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Commission (NWASHC), has promised to front the situation head on.
NWASHC Chief Executive Officer, George W.K. Yarngo, made the disclosure at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Yarngo outlined efforts to align with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, particularly targeting 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3, which focus on access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, and improved water quality.
His remark highlighted the scale of the sanitation crisis, especially in urban and peri-urban communities where basic sanitation infrastructure remains largely absent.
He acknowledged that achieving SDG target 6.2, safely managed sanitation for all, remains a major hurdle.
Yango noted that many households still lack toilets within their homes or compounds.
He pointed to broader housing deficits in Africa and parts of Asia, suggesting that Liberia began the SDG process from a “disadvantaged position.”
Nonetheless, Yango conceded that open defecation remains widespread, particularly in informal settlements, posing serious risks to water sources and public health.
While the NWASHC has developed a national roadmap to end open defecation, critics argue that similar commitments made over the years have yet to translate into visible, nationwide improvements.
Public health advocates continue to warn that without significant infrastructure investment, sanitation-related diseases will remain a major concern.
He also admitted that weak inter-agency coordination continues to undermine progress.
Although the Commission holds monthly meetings with private sector stakeholders, lawmakers, and government institutions, fragmented governance, has allowed some agencies to operate independently, limiting accountability and effectiveness.
Internally, the Commission itself has faced capacity challenges.
Yarngo disclosed that an assessment the Civil Service Agency conducted, revealed staff misplacement, leading to internal reshuffling and retraining efforts. Partnerships with international actors, including the Egyptian Embassy, are intended to strengthen technical capacity, though questions remain about how quickly these initiatives will yield tangible results.
Yarngo further highlighted reforms to business certification processes, including a shift from paper-based systems to online platforms.
However, he acknowledged that full digitalization is still pending.
As Liberia moves toward implementing its 2026–2030 sanitation roadmap, Yarngo called for stronger political will and increased citizen participation.
Observers, however, caution that without sustained funding, stricter enforcement, and genuine institutional coordination, the sanitation goals may remain difficult to achieve.