The European Union through the Local Authorities Programme Sierra Leone has supported the Kenema City Council through a grant to improve its water and sanitation facilities, grain stores as well as the construction of culverts to connect various communities within the district.
The Kenema City Council has made significant impact under the EU funded program, to provide the needed waste management services to the Municipality with a population of 255, 110 according to the Midterm Population and Housing Census of 2022.
The EU Program has supported in logistical area in tricycle that navigates in communities, and being transported to a standby truck for onward deposit to the Kenema Controlled Waste Disposal sites.
In an exclusive interview with the Environmental Social Officer Kenema District Mohamed Edatimah Ngavao, spoke on the positive impact the Municipality had realized from the EU funded Project on solid waste management.
He said the Council has drastically realized an increase from 8, 572,936 kg of waste deposited to the disposal sites in 2022 to 18, 430, 834 kg after securing the EU grants.
The Focal person in environment further that through the project over forty staff are directly employed under the waste management sector in the district.
He stressed that the project was able to achieve its goals through effective public education and awareness programs within operational areas in the district, adding that flooding and blockage of drainages had been lessened.
In another Development the EU Local Authority Program constructed modern bridges that were able to connect schools, hospitals, as well as markets in the district.
The increase in the flow of commercial bikes in these communities were testimony of the EU project a resident in chiefdom Head quarter in Joijoima echoed.
In the area of water and sanitation the project was able to savage safe drinking water for over a hundred people in different communities of the project scope.
The project also constructed public toilets in market areas within the city of kenema, and the rehabilitation of water supply facilities such as hand pumps, in communities, schools and peripheral Health Unit (PHU).
Development and Planning Officer, said these facilities across community’s aid over 30,000 people in the targeted areas, noting that the program had positively impacted the communities as well as combat waterborne. Moreover, helped pupils to remain in school.
Also, the program supported in the construction of stores and drying floor within the project operational areas in a bid to support farmers, pointing that the project was able to tackle perennial challenges in the farming seasons.
The District Agriculture Officer (DAO) Mathew Mohamed Kanneh stressed that the facilities in the district poised as a major contributor to the Feed Salon Project of the central government.
The DAO estimated that over 8,000 farmers would have access to stores as well as drying floors.
A farmer Abu Vandy disclosed that farmers were experiencing reduction in post –harvest setback.
Despite the impacts on the EU funded project, beneficiaries as well as council Councils raised concerns about maintenance culture of these facilities for its sustainability.
In a bid to maintain such the councils disclosed that such facility would be under the purview of line ministry for monitoring and supervision.
