The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr Sao-Kpato Hannah Isatta Macarthy, today convened a Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting at the Ministry of Finance to review progress and address key challenges in the ongoing Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project (FWASHAERP).
The meeting brought together senior government officials, development partners, and project stakeholders to assess first-quarter performance and provide strategic direction for implementation.
In her opening remarks, the Minister emphasised the importance of sustained coordination and accountability.
“This project is central to improving water supply and sanitation outcomes in Freetown, and we must ensure that implementation challenges are addressed swiftly and decisively,” she said.
According to a briefing presented by GVWC, the project, valued at over UA 137 million, is making measurable progress across its core components, supported by multiple international financing partners, including the OPEC Fund, Islamic Development Bank, and the Green Climate Fund.
GVWC Managing Director, Ing. Mariwan Kallon, highlighted key achievements recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
“We have successfully installed nearly 5,000 water meters integrated with the EDAMS billing system, which is already improving revenue collection,” he noted. “Additionally, the rehabilitation of the Babadorie Raw Water Reservoir is complete and operational, increasing supply hours to communities such as IMATT and Regent.”
He further disclosed that critical repairs to the Kongo Dam and associated weirs have restored approximately 184,000 cubic meters of storage capacity, alongside the installation of new transmission pipelines.
Despite these gains, stakeholders acknowledged several persistent challenges affecting project delivery. These include delays in land allocation for project-affected persons, pending disbursement of government counterpart funding, and procurement bottlenecks for critical equipment.
“We are actively engaging the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Finance to fast-track these issues,” Kallon said. “At the same time, we are strengthening contract supervision and enforcing compliance to keep the project on track.”
The PSC also reviewed the project’s financial status, noting that just over 53 per cent of approved funds have been disbursed to date, with some financing components still pending ratification or commitment.
Closing the session, the Minister called for stronger inter-agency collaboration and the timely execution of mitigation measures.
“The success of this project depends on our collective resolve to deliver results for the people of Freetown. We cannot afford delays where solutions are within our reach,” she stated.
The PSC is expected to continue quarterly reviews as part of its mandate to provide oversight, resolve implementation constraints, and ensure the project achieves its intended impact on water supply and sanitation in the capital.
Credit – Communication Unit -MWRS
Sierra Leone Water Security &
WASH Access Improvement Project
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 11th May 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
