Residents of Jah Kingdom in Kamayama, Congo Town Market, Owen Street by Mountain Cut and Pamronkoh in Calaba Town welcomed the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE, with singing and dancing on Saturday, 27 June 2026, as she conducted an inspection tour of newly completed water kiosks and public toilet facilities across the communities.
The inspection formed part of the Freetown City Council’s ongoing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Infrastructure Programme, which seeks to improve access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation services for residents throughout the city.
During the visit, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr assessed the progress and completion of key community infrastructure projects. At Jah Kingdom, the Council has completed a solar-powered water kiosk alongside a four-unit public toilet facility, complementing an earlier tree-planting initiative undertaken in the community. Congo Town Market has also benefited from a newly constructed four-unit public toilet facility, adding to the Council’s ongoing waste-to-energy briquette project in the market area.
Meanwhile, residents of Owen Street by Mountain Cut and Pamronkoh in Calaba Town have each received newly constructed water kiosks aimed at providing reliable access to clean and safe water.
The Mayor was accompanied by councillors Umaru Bangura, Samuel Kamara, Ibrahim Sorie Conteh and Alhassan Olando Kaloko, Chairman of the Freetown City Council Water Committee, alongside Council staff and project contractors.
Addressing residents during the inspection, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr expressed appreciation to the various communities for providing land to facilitate the construction of the facilities. She commended their cooperation and commitment throughout the implementation process.
“Your determination and support throughout the process have made these projects possible. I encourage you to take ownership of these facilities and ensure they are properly maintained for the benefit of current and future generations,” she said.
The Mayor also announced plans for the establishment of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) management model that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the facilities. She assured residents that community members would play an active role in overseeing the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure.
Reflecting on the city’s broader development challenges, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr observed that the need to construct public toilets within established residential communities highlights longstanding urban planning gaps. She noted that if the Council had greater authority over land-use planning and building approvals, developers would have been required to incorporate adequate sanitation facilities into residential developments from the outset.
Despite those challenges, she reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to providing essential services where they are most needed while continuing to advocate for stronger urban planning systems capable of preventing similar deficiencies in future developments.
Speaking on behalf of residents at Owen Street, Mountain Cut, Community, Chairlady, Fatmata Dumbuya expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Freetown City Council and Mayor Aki-Sawyerr for delivering the new water kiosk.
She described the project as a life-changing intervention that would significantly improve access to safe drinking water while reducing the burden many residents, particularly women and children, previously faced in securing clean water.
The projects form part of the Freetown City Council’s partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) under the Blue Peace Initiative WASH Infrastructure Programme. Through the initiative, the Council plans to construct a total of 65 water kiosks and 15 public toilet facilities comprising 60 toilet units across Freetown.
Once completed, the programme is expected to substantially expand access to safe water and improved sanitation for thousands of residents, contributing to better public health, environmental sustainability and improved living conditions across the capital.
