WHH Prioritizes Strengthening Waste Management Systems

By Tamba Borbor(Communication & Advocacy Officer WHH Sierra Leone)

The “System Strengthening for Waste Management in Sierra Leone” Project has been launched on Friday 15^th March 2024 in Makeni City.

This new project funded by BMZ and implemented by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs focuses on supporting local City Councils improve waste management through an integrated approach.

As the Keynote Speaker during the official launch of the project, Alfred Moi Jamiru thanked WHH for the ongoing support towards the waste sector in Sierra Leone. He singled out staff of the WHH Waste Management Project for praise in organizing the event.

“You have created jealousies with the implementation of the project only with local City Council and not District Councils and they have asked me to appeal that you also consider extending your support to them,” the Minister stated.

He thanked the University of Sierra Leone for establishing for the first time, undergraduate courses in municipal solid waste management which he noted will improve the human resource capacity of Sierra Leoneans. He appealed that waste management be also taken to Junior Secondary Schools for early exposure to the sector before they can choose a career path.

“There has been a disconnect which has largely been the political will between how the politicians and those who are dealing with our waste have really connected,” he noted.

The Deputy Local Government Minister further stated that the President of Sierra Leone- Julius Maada Bio had called for a National Waste Management Strategy to signal the Government’s commitment and determination to impact the waste sector.

“…Although there are efforts by other organizations in managing waste in Sierra Leone, Welthungerhilfe’s intervention and support signals the urgency and importance of waste management,” Minister Jamiru maintained.

In a rather forthright tone, he urged the City Councils, where WHH operates to double their efforts in managing their dump sites effectively.

Gospell Matondi, WHH Head of Programmes, in his statement said that “we need to facilitate a clean environment and handle it responsibly.”

He noted that if we cannot take care of our environment, we will not be able to feed ourselves; adding that the Universities should develop home-gown solutions to enhance effective waste management.

Gospell reassured of WHH’s commitment to complementing the efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone in various sectors of intervention.

Anteneh Abebe, the WHH Sector Head for Waste Management in presenting the overview of the new project, he stated that sound and sustainable solid management is vital to environmental protection and human rights.

He noted that with increase in population and human activities, the volume of waste is bound to increase, hence the need to put premium waste collection, reduction, disposal, and recycling and implemented effectively.

The WHH Waste Sector Head emphasized that the new project would target activities that strengthen waste management systems at the national and local levels.

The Mayor of Makeni City, Abubakarr Kamara popularly known as ‘Lamtales’, expressed thanks and appreciation to WHH for supporting the Council of Makeni City throughout the years with waste infrastructural development noting that the new project is his baby which is centered around his development priority areas.

The Mayor appealed for support to acquire a bulldozer to help push back the rubbish at the Makeni City Dump Site in addition to other equipment to enhance management of the municipality’s waste.

Mayor of Bo City- Kobba Musa, also on behalf of the people of Bo City, expressed his appreciation and gratitude to WHH for the tremendous support since 2013. “When you talk about waste management in Sierra Leone, WHH is the first name to mention and the first project was implemented in Bo,” Mayor Kobba Musa stated.

He appealed to the University to come up with innovative technologies and strategies to enhance the management of waste in the country in addition to the political will from the Government.

The Mayor emphasized the critical issue of sustainability; without which nothing tangible can be achieved in the long term further appealing for additional support in the forms of vehicles and other equipment for waste management.

“Managing waste is a continuous process which requires a sustained commitment and resources,” the Bo City Mayor maintained.

Mathew Komba Sam, the Mayor of Koidu City in his statement noted that waste management is a key component of the operations of City Councils in Sierra Leone.

He acknowledged that before the intervention of WHH in his City, managing waste was challenging as there were no dump sites, compactor, cesspool emptier, Waste Management Department (WMD), youth groups engaged in waste collection, continued public awareness and sensitization etc.

“WHH has done so much in terms of waste management in Sierra and that is an undisputable fact,” Mayor Komba Sam stated, assuring that with support from WHH, “the sky will be our limit.”

Professor Kelleh Gbawuru Mansaray, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College (FBC) lauded WHH for supporting the establishment of undergraduate courses in urban and municipal solid waste management which has commenced this academic year with fifteen (15) students enrolling.

He disclosed that the collaboration with Welthungerhilfe Sierra Leone also involves research into developing a Biodigester and other innovative technologies for managing waste.

The Deputy Mayor of Kenema City- Esther Kaisamba stressed that with support from WHH, their city is very clean as “cleanliness is next to Godliness.”

She appealed for continued support from WHH to be able to do more in waste management.

The Paramount Chief of Kakua Chiefdom which covers Bo City- Lappia Boima gave a background about the commencement of the first waste management project in Bo City and the establishment of the first landfill thereafter.

He challenged the University of Sierra Leone to come up with well-thought-out innovations to generate energy from waste as well as to reduce waste pollution and create jobs for the youth.

Paramount Chief, Tamba Tocheh Foyoh who is also the Chairman of the Koidu City Waste Steering Committee stated that there is need to further strengthen the existing waste management systems and structures in Koidu City.

He assured of their full support in ensuring the success of the new project.

Eric Masally, the NGO Focal Person at the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning (MoPED) highlighted the various phases of waste management projects implemented by WHH; from providing infrastructure, promoting sustainable waste management and now the new project which focuses on strengthening the established system to enhance sustainability of the entire intervention in the sector.

“This phase we are launching today is very key and it is the responsibility of community stakeholders and project participants to make sure the waste structures are functional,” Masally stated.

He noted that the newly launched National Medium Term Development Plan under Pillar Two speaks to waste management and conforms with what WHH is doing in the sector.

Eric Masally urged the Mayors of the City Councils to do their best to ensure sustainability and put measures in place to generate revenue from waste management and create the enabling environment for organizations such as WHH to implement projects that will benefit the people.

The “System Strengthening for Sustainable Waste Management in Sierra Leone” Project is focused on securing the significant gains recorded under the previous waste management projects using collaborative strategies for sustainability.

Welthungerhilfe is a German International Non-Governmental Organization that visions a “World without Hunger” by 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.