By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Freetown City Council (FCC), with support from the World Bank, has trained more than 700 community engagement workers to help implement the city’s new sanitation bye-laws. The initiative forms part of the Council’s ongoing “Dorti Mus Go” campaign, which seeks to improve waste management and promote cleaner, healthier communities across Freetown.
The two-day training focused on strengthening community outreach, raising public awareness, and ensuring compliance with the newly enacted sanitation laws. The engagement workers are expected to serve as frontline ambassadors of the campaign, bridging the gap between FCC and local residents.
Speaking at the closing of the training, Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr described the program as a milestone in the city’s journey toward sustainable sanitation management. She expressed gratitude to the World Bank and other partners for their support in making the training possible.
“This is a great step in ensuring that things go well,” the Mayor said. “We are grateful to our partners and stakeholders for supporting us in achieving this important milestone. Cleanliness is not only about keeping the city beautiful, but also about protecting the health and wellbeing of our people.”
Following the training, the community engagement workers will be deployed across various wards in the city. Their primary responsibility will be to inform residents about the legal requirement to register for waste collection services. Under the new bye-laws, households and businesses must subscribe to an FCC-approved waste management service provider.
To ensure compliance, penalties have been introduced. Residents who fail to register for waste collection will face a fine of SLE 5,000 or risk up to six months imprisonment. FCC officials stressed that these measures are not intended to punish residents but to encourage collective responsibility in maintaining a cleaner city.
The engagement workers will also work closely with FCC Metropolitan Officers to monitor waste disposal practices, report violations, and provide education on proper waste management. Their presence within communities is expected to create a stronger sense of accountability and encourage behavioural change among residents.
The “Dorti Mus Go” campaign has been one of FCC’s flagship programs under Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s leadership, with a clear focus on tackling Freetown’s long-standing waste management challenges. Over the past years, the campaign has introduced waste collection services in previously underserved areas, launched awareness drives, and partnered with private companies to improve efficiency.
Observers note that the latest training aligns with broader efforts to modernize Freetown’s sanitation system and embed environmental responsibility in daily life. By empowering local engagement workers, FCC is equipping communities with the knowledge and tools needed to support sustainable waste management.
Community members have welcomed the initiative, highlighting that poor sanitation has long posed serious health risks in Freetown, including the spread of diseases such as cholera and typhoid. With stricter enforcement of the bye-laws and greater public involvement, many believe the city could finally make lasting progress in addressing its sanitation crisis.
As the trained workers prepare for deployment, FCC has reiterated its commitment to supporting them with the resources and supervision necessary to succeed. The Council hopes the initiative will not only ensure compliance with the new sanitation bye-laws but also inspire a culture of cleanliness and civic responsibility across Freetown.
