By Thaimu T Kamara
The Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has reviewed its draft 2026–2030 Branding Strategy as part of efforts to strengthen the company’s corporate identity, public image and relationship with customers and stakeholders.
The one-day technical working session was held on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, at SALWACO’s Board Room in Freetown and brought together senior management, directors, managers and senior officers from the company’s head office.
The session was organised by senior management in line with SALWACO’s Strategic Development Plan (SDP) 2026–2030 and its Half-Yearly Plan. It specifically supports Goal 1.5 of the company’s strategic plan, which seeks to develop and institutionalise an effective Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Branding and Communications Strategy.
Participants included the Managing Director, Ing. Tiideni Hawa Jabbi; Deputy Managing Director, Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey; Chief Utility Director, Ing. Abdul Ben Lebbie; and other senior officials.
Opening the session, the Chief Utility Director, Ing. Abdul Ben Lebbie, urged participants to take the review process seriously and actively contribute to discussions.
He said collective input from senior officials was important to ensuring that the draft strategy is properly reviewed and refined before its final adoption.
In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Managing Director Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey described the engagement as an important step towards shaping SALWACO’s future identity and how the company is perceived by the public.
Dr. Harvey said the Branding Strategy was not simply about changing the company’s corporate image, but was intended to support a broader transformation in how SALWACO is seen, trusted and experienced by its customers, employees, partners and the wider public.
He said the strategy would contribute to the company’s ambition of building a water utility that is trusted, responsive, accountable and financially sustainable.
According to Dr. Harvey, strengthening SALWACO’s image and communications would also enable the company to contribute more effectively to national development priorities, including the National Medium-Term Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation for all.
For her part, Managing Director Ing. Tiideni Hawa Jabbi emphasised the need to improve public perception of SALWACO among both internal and external stakeholders.
She acknowledged that the company’s reputation and public image have faced challenges over the years, stressing that there was a need to reposition SALWACO as a serious, reliable and responsive water utility.
Ing. Jabbi said the development of the Branding Strategy presents an opportunity for the company to restore public confidence, strengthen its corporate identity and ensure that its public image reflects the transformation taking place within the institution.
She therefore encouraged directors, managers and senior officers to critically examine the draft document and provide practical and meaningful contributions.
The Managing Director stressed that the final strategy should not only strengthen SALWACO’s brand but also support the company’s wider transformation agenda and improve its relationship with customers and other stakeholders.
Following the opening remarks, Ing. Jabbi led the presentation of the draft SALWACO 2026–2030 Branding Strategy, paving the way for technical discussions and detailed review of the proposed strategic direction.
The working session allowed participants to examine key elements of the draft strategy, identify areas requiring further attention and provide technical recommendations to improve the document.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for senior management and other officials to consider how branding and communication can be used to strengthen public understanding of SALWACO’s mandate and ongoing activities.
The review is expected to contribute to the development of a comprehensive branding framework aligned with the company’s institutional priorities for the 2026–2030 period.
As SALWACO continues to pursue improvements in water supply and sanitation services, management believes that a stronger corporate identity and effective communication will be essential to building trust and maintaining meaningful engagement with customers, employees, partners and the wider public.
The technical working session therefore represents another step in the company’s broader efforts to reposition SALWACO and align its public image with its long-term transformation and service delivery objectives.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 24th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
