The Office of National Security (ONS), under the leadership of Chief of Staff Francis Langumba Keili, convened a high-level stakeholder meeting on April 17, 2025, to address the growing environmental threats of poor waste management and indiscriminate deforestation in Western Area Rural and Urban, with a particular focus on the Freetown Municipality.
The meeting followed directives from the National Security Council Coordinating Group (NSCCG), which flagged waste accumulation and deforestation as pressing national security concerns. The urgency of the discussions was underscored by the provisions of the National Security and Central Intelligence Act (NaSCIA) of 2023, which mandates the NSCCG to oversee security-related matters affecting Sierra Leone.
Key attendees included Her Worship, the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer; the Minister for the Western Area; the Managing Director of the Guma Valley Water Company; the Executive Director of the National Protected Area Authority; and representatives from the Western Area Rural District Council (WARD-C).
During the meeting, Mayor Aki-Sawyer highlighted the city’s ongoing waste challenges, attributing some of the issues to drug-influenced youth exploiting the Clean Salone Initiative. She announced the launch of “Operation Dorti Must Go,” a city-wide waste reduction effort, and outlined efforts to relocate garbage sites at Kissy and Kingtom to mitigate health risks.
The discussion also touched on the stalled World Bank-supported landfill project, which has been delayed due to land disputes between the Ministry of Defence and local residents. The Mayor confirmed that the funding had been temporarily withdrawn due to community opposition.
Other stakeholders raised concerns about environmental degradation, including the critical state of the Mile 13 River Dam, which supplies 95% of Freetown’s water. The Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company, Maada S. Gpenge, warned that unchecked encroachment posed an imminent disaster risk, while the Minister for the Western Area, Hon. Adekunle J.M. King, called for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations.
The meeting concluded with a series of key recommendations, including securing alternative waste disposal sites, enhancing coordination among agencies, engaging youth in formal sanitation roles, enforcing compliance in protected areas, and safeguarding critical infrastructure such as the Mile 13 Dam. Chief of Staff Keili assured stakeholders that the concerns raised would be presented to the National Security Council for further action.
With environmental degradation threatening both public health and national security, the ONS pledged ongoing collaboration to ensure a sustainable and effective response.