By Saidu Jalloh, Reporter, Daily Scope
The Freetown City Council (FCC) has enacted the Solid and Liquid Waste Collection Byelaws 2024, a significant step towards a cleaner and safer urban environment. These new regulations aim to modernize waste management across the city through strategic public-private partnerships.
Under the byelaws, all residents and businesses in Freetown are required to register and pay for waste collection services through FCC-approved waste management firms, all under the oversight of the Council. The city has been divided into eight waste management blocks to improve service delivery.
The byelaws explicitly prohibit the dumping of waste on streets, in gutters, waterways, and public spaces, as well as the burning of waste, addressing pressing environmental and health concerns. Additional restrictions include a ban on cooking, selling, or trading in unauthorized public areas; parking or repairing vehicles on streets; using roads for washing; and storing building materials or conducting welding activities in public spaces.
Violators of these regulations may face fines of up to Nle 5,000, six months of imprisonment, or both.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr emphasized the importance of these new regulations, stating, “The new byelaws and the start of our operation, coded #DoriMusGo, mark another milestone in our journey to improve waste management in Freetown. We are taking bold, practical steps to tackle our waste challenges head-on, thus creating cleaner communities, protecting our environment, and improving public health.”
To ensure effective enforcement, the FCC plans to launch a comprehensive city-wide communication campaign in the coming weeks, utilizing both social media and traditional media to raise awareness and educate residents about the new byelaws.
For more information, contact Daily Scope Newspaper at dailyscopemedia@gmail.com.
Dorti Mus Go
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr
