By Thaimu T Kamara
The Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC), Ing. Mariwan Kallon, has received another prestigious leadership accolade, further strengthening his growing reputation as one of Sierra Leone’s most influential public sector leaders.
Ing. Kallon was honoured with the Outstanding Leadership Award at the African Global Stars Awards, organized by Diaspora Focus. The award was presented during a grand ceremony held on Friday, 29 May 2026, at the Bintumani Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown.
The latest recognition comes barely a month after the Guma Valley Water Company boss received the Public Service Leadership Award at the African Ovation Awards 2026, organized by African Ovation Media Ltd. That award acknowledged his commitment to public service, institutional reform, and efforts aimed at improving water service delivery across Sierra Leone.
The dual honours have been widely viewed as endorsements of Ing. Kallon’s leadership since his appointment as Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company in November 2025. Since assuming office, he has spearheaded a series of reforms designed to strengthen the institution and improve its service delivery capacity.
Under his stewardship, GVWC has embarked on an ambitious transformation agenda focused on improving financial management, enhancing operational efficiency, promoting accountability and transparency, strengthening staff welfare, and repositioning the company as a modern and customer-focused utility capable of meeting the growing demands of residents in the Western Area.
Observers within the water sector note that the company has recorded significant progress within a relatively short period. Among the notable achievements highlighted under Ing. Kallon’s leadership are improvements in revenue collection, stricter financial discipline, timely payment of staff salaries, strengthened accountability mechanisms, enhanced water quality management systems, reduction in non-revenue water losses, and improved institutional controls.
These reforms form part of the company’s comprehensive One-Year Reform Plan for 2026, which seeks to transform Guma Valley Water Company into a resilient, efficient, and financially sustainable public utility. The reform programme is aimed at ensuring that residents of the Western Area receive more reliable and improved water services while positioning the institution to effectively respond to future challenges.
Speaking after receiving the award, Ing. Kallon expressed appreciation to the organizers for the recognition and dedicated the honour to the entire workforce of Guma Valley Water Company.
“Thank you very much to the organizers of this programme for this recognition,” he said. “I also wish to thank His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio for giving me the opportunity to serve.”
The Managing Director emphasized that the award was not an individual achievement but rather the result of teamwork and collective commitment across the institution.
“This award would not have been possible without the support of the entire Guma Valley Water Company family,” he stated.
“This recognition is the result of the collective efforts of all of us at Guma Valley Water Company; from the Board of Directors and Senior Management to intermediate and junior staff. It belongs to every member of the institution who continues to work diligently in service to our country.”
He further noted that the award serves as a motivation for the company to continue pursuing excellence in service delivery and institutional development.
“This award strengthens our commitment to continue serving with dedication, professionalism, integrity, and excellence,” he added.
Ing. Kallon also used the occasion to call on staff members across all departments of the company to remain focused on the institution’s mission of providing safe, reliable, and sustainable water services to the people of the Western Area and Sierra Leone as a whole.
Industry stakeholders have described the recent recognitions as evidence of the positive changes taking place within Guma Valley Water Company. They noted that strong leadership remains critical to addressing longstanding challenges within the water sector and ensuring that public utilities operate efficiently and transparently.
The awards have also drawn attention to the ongoing efforts of the company’s Board of Directors, management team, and staff, whose contributions continue to support the institution’s reform and modernization agenda.
As demand for water services continues to increase due to rapid urban growth in the Western Area, the company’s transformation programme is expected to play a key role in strengthening infrastructure, improving operational performance, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
For many observers, the recognition of Ing. Mariwan Kallon at both the African Ovation Awards and the African Global Stars Awards reflects not only his personal leadership qualities but also the collective progress being made by Guma Valley Water Company in advancing accountability, innovation, institutional excellence, and improved public service delivery.
With two major leadership awards already secured in 2026, expectations remain high that the company will continue implementing reforms aimed at ensuring sustainable access to quality water services while contributing to national development goals.
The latest honour serves as another milestone in the ongoing transformation journey of Guma Valley Water Company and reinforces confidence in its vision of becoming a high-performing public utility dedicated to serving the people of Sierra Leone with professionalism, efficiency, and integrity.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 1st June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
