By Sallieu S. Kanu
Freetown, July 18, 2025 — As part of its ambitious #DortiMusGo sanitation campaign, the Freetown City Council (FCC), with backing from the World Bank, concluded a two-day intensive training on Thursday, July 17, 2025, for approved waste service providers to prepare them for the implementation of the city’s revamped waste management system.
The training, described by Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr as a pivotal step toward building a cleaner and more sustainable capital, focused on building capacity and setting operational standards under the new regulatory framework.
New Structure, New Standards
Under the recently enacted sanitation byelaws, Freetown has been reorganized into eight waste management blocks, with service delivery now delegated solely to FCC-approved waste companies. Residents and businesses must register with these providers and pay for regular waste collection. Noncompliance will attract penalties.
As part of the new structure, FCC has assigned specific wards and blocks to approved Waste Service Providers as follows: Eco Spring (SL) Limited: Wards 399–404 and 435–440 (Blocks 1 and 7); SEEDAC Solutions (SL) Limited: Wards 417–422 and 423–428 (Blocks 4 and 5); Freetown Waste Transformers: Wards 429–434 (Block 6); Alphatek Global (SL) Limited: Wards 441–446 (Block 8). Each service provider is mandated to deliver high-quality waste collection services following FCC’s revised standards and regulations.
Training Highlights
The sessions covered diverse operational and strategic topics, including:
- Waste strategy and enforcement mechanisms
- Customer and service provider roles and expectations
- Data reporting and quality standards
- Community engagement and risk management
- Integration of recycling into the waste value chain
- Adoption of digital payment platforms
- Branding, communication, and ethical business practices
Within just three weeks of the ongoing registration campaign, over 4,200 households and businesses have signed up with service providers in seven of the eight blocks, signaling strong public engagement.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that the training is foundational to FCC’s commitment to modernizing Freetown’s waste management and fostering civic responsibility. “This marks a transformative shift toward accountability, sustainability, and a cleaner urban future,” she stated.