In continuation of a monitoring exercise to city council dumpsites, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs led by the Deputy Minister Alfred Jamiru, has concluded an inter-city visit in Bo and Makeni Councils’ dumpsites.
The dumpsites situated in Mile 5 – Bo and Magbenteh in Makeni, were constructed by Welthungerhilfe with funding from DFID and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The visit is part of a broader initiative to address and improve solid waste management practices in rural metropolitan cities across Sierra Leone. With a growing focus on ensuring that urban and rural areas alike are equipped with sustainable waste management systems, this inspection marks a significant step in the Ministry’s efforts to ensure the proper functioning and maintenance of such facilities.
During his visit to Bo City, Alfred Jamiru, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Community Development pointed out that the Bo City Council must take greater ownership of the dumpsite to ensure that it remains clean and efficiently managed.
Jamiru applauded the collective effort and teamwork displayed by the District Council and the City council in working together to manage waste. He said
“WHH’s intervention in Waste Mangement has been huge over the years and pledged the Government of Sierra Leone’s support to ensure they get more funding to continue their good work” Minster Jamiru assured.
Upon arrival at the Makeni City dumpsite, the deputy minister received a tour of the facility led by Mr. George -Expert for Technical and Social Issues – Makeni, gave a brief decription of the various structures within the facility and their specific functions in waste management operations.
George highlighted that the project was made possible through funding from the German government’s BMZ initiative, and that the project had now entered its second phase.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Jamiru expressed his appreciation for WHH’s continuous support and collaboration with the Sierra Leone government and local authorities. He commended WHH for its significant role in supporting waste management initiatives across these four cities.
Jamiru highlighted how essential such partnerships were to improving the waste management infrastructure, ensuring the health and well-being of citizens, and enhancing the overall environmental quality of the cities.
Furthermore, Mr. Jamiru assured the gathered stakeholders that he would make frequent visits to the site to monitor its condition and ensure that it remained in optimal working order.
He encouraged the local chiefs, city councils, and district leaders to take more proactive roles in managing and maintaining the facility, rather than relying solely on the Waste Management team of the City Council to handle everything. By taking a collaborative approach, he believes the local communities can make a lasting impact on the sustainability of waste management systems in the area.
The Director of Local Government, Brima Combey, emphasizing the tremendous opportunities within the field of waste management shared his experiences from other countries where similar initiatives had yielded positive results, expressing his confidence that Sierra Leone could replicate such successes. The Director explained that “waste management should not only be viewed as a local issue but as an area with significant economic potential, offering job creation and other benefits”.
The Deputy Mayor of the Makeni City Council Ibrahim Nelson Kamara expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation first to Welthungerhilfe and to the deputy minister for personally taking the lead in the inspection and stakeholder engagement visits. He shared that Makeni City Council is doing its best to maintain the Waste Management and Dumpsite facility and keep the city clean.
Kamara appealed to WHH for more support and called on the government to increase allocation for Waste Management to councils. “I want to request to government through the deputy minster here to increase their support to council on Waste Management as keeping the city clean is expensive. I also ask that WHH find ways to give more support to the councils for sustainable waste management activities” he ended.
The Chairman Bombali District Council Dr, Moses Sisey, reported he was pleased for such a high level stakeholder engagement. He said the cleaning of the city is not just the responsibility of the council as the city is within the district. He said WHH should also work with the District Councils to ensure a collective and sutainable waste management practice. He assured that the Bombali District Council is committed to supporting the process.
Following the on-site visits, a radio simulcast program was organized to further engage the people of Bo and Makeni and to raise awareness about the importance of proper waste disposal. During the program, the Deputy Minister, alongside other stakeholders, discussed critical topics such as waste segregation, proper disposal practices, and the importance of paying taxes to support the local councils. This public awareness campaign is seen as a key part of encouraging responsible waste management habits within communities and ensuring that people are educated on how to maintain a cleaner environment.
On behalf of WHH Sierra Leone’s Country Director, Santigie Kanu, the Area Manager for WHH Southeast, expressed sincere gratitude to Minister Lamina and his delegation for their visit and their ongoing support for the work that WHH has been doing in collaboration with local councils.
He acknowledged the efforts of all involved in improving waste management systems and reiterated WHH’s commitment to working closely with the government to achieve the planned programs. Kanu also thanked local authorities for their continued support and active participation in WHH activities, emphasizing the importance of partnership and cooperation in addressing waste management challenges across the country.
