By Josephine Sesay
Deputy Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Alfred Jamiru, has identified residents’ failure to pay for waste collection services and the widespread use of plastics as key contributors to Freetown’s persistent waste management challenges.
Speaking on the city’s sanitation concerns, Jamiru urged residents to adopt responsible waste disposal practices by subscribing to registered waste collection service providers and ensuring the proper management of household refuse.
He expressed concern over the continued indiscriminate dumping of garbage in gutters, drainage channels, and along streets, warning that such practices pose serious health and environmental risks.
“The responsibility of maintaining a clean city rests on all of us. Residents must support waste management efforts by properly disposing of their waste and utilizing approved collection services,” he emphasized.
To strengthen efforts aimed at addressing the growing sanitation problem, the Deputy Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, the Sierra Leone Police, and the Freetown City Council (FCC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve coordination and enhance waste management across the capital.
According to Jamiru, the agreement is expected to boost collaboration among the institutions, improve enforcement of sanitation regulations, and promote a cleaner urban environment.
The initiative forms part of ongoing government efforts to make Freetown cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable while encouraging citizens to play an active role in safeguarding public health and the environment.
Authorities have also reiterated their commitment to enforcing sanitation laws and called on the public to support measures aimed at improving waste management and environmental cleanliness throughout the city.
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Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 22nd June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
