Early Rainfall Causes Havoc at Portee: Freetown City Council Communication

Freetown City Council (FCC)

April 23, 2024 

Truly disgusting! This filth is a product of our attitude towards waste management.

The heavy rains in the early hours of this morning were accompanied by the return of an unfortunate habit – some Freetonians emptying their garbage into gutters and waterways during the rain.

The rains have come early and jumped ahead of our flood mitigation plans. FCC flood mitigation activities started at Juba Bridge on 3rd April.

After about five days we moved onto the canal at Lumley which had also become an illegal dumpsite last year. From there work began and is still ongoing at Kroo Bay.

The heavy rains in the early hours of this morning were accompanied by the return of an unfortunate habit – some Freetonians emptying their garbage into gutters and waterways during the rain.

As a consequence, we saw an overflow of several key drains and gutters across the city, including at Portee. This unfortunate practice is most often done by but is not limited to residents living in hillside communities that cannot be accessed by sanitation vehicles.

Speaking about the Council’s efforts, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said: ‘The Deputy Mayor, the Chief Administrator, the FCC team, and I were out on the streets until way after dark to ensure that we effectively addressed the situation at Portee and elsewhere. All roads were cleared, and residents were sensitized in the process.

FCC flood mitigation activities will continue for the next few weeks. We are confident that within a few days, the positive impact of the recently expanded public space cleaning and the continued flood mitigation activities will yield positive results.

Additionally FCC is in the process of strengthening our sanitation bylaws; we are hopeful that parliamentary approval for that will be granted soon.

In the meantime, a reminder to us all that garbage on the streets doesn’t fall from the skies. Freetonians please don’t throw your garbage in the streets, gutters, and waterways and please do not use ‘Clean Salone’ Please only use FCC-approved waste service providers who operate with tricycles or vehicles. Thank you!’

The cleanup effort

The people and central and local governments have to change their mindset.

Debris on the New Road at Portee was completely cleared. Flood mitigation work across the city continues. 

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr on 'X' formally Twitter

Debris on the New Road at #Portee was completely cleared. #FloodMitigation work across the city continues. Sanitation bylaws are being strengthened along with introduction of a new system of household waste collection. Awaiting parliamentary approval for #sanitation #bylaws… pic.twitter.com/JT9nW8ammO

— Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE (@yakisawyerr) April 23, 2024