Brikama Area Council on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with five private waste collection companies within the West Coast Region. The event also witnessed the launch of a waste management project called titled 'Seneya Project'.
The new partnership seeks to provide effective, dependable and regular waste management service delivery to the needy people of the region at an affordable price.
The signing ceremony held at the Brikama Area Council premises, was the first since the new council assumed into office in May 2023.
The waste collection project, which is set to commence on Wednesday 19 July, 2023 from Kombo North District, is aimed at providing weekly waste collection service to the piloted areas.
The companies signed include Jatta and Sons Waste Management Company, Setal-Gam Waste Management, Krocon Waste Management, Dankuto Waste Management and BMM Waste Management with others to come.
At the ceremony, Yankuba Darbore, newly elected Chairman of the Brikama Area Council, said the project launched was conceived by the Council to provide solution to the challenge the people of West Coast Region face.
He observed that the challenges faced was a lack of an effective waste management service for the many households, commercial and industrial waste produced in the region.
"I encountered these challenges of our people during my campaign for the leadership of this council and it is often one of the most complained challenges of the residents of our region."
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He added; "As a result, our people have been left to manage their waste on their own. This situation had compelled many of our residents to resort to dumping waste at any available space of convenience to them, which is a grave threat to our environment. Whilst those who strive to have their waste collected regularly, do so at a huge financial cost." he stated.
He noted that it would be a daunting task or almost impossible for the Council alone to be able to address the challenge of waste management in the region in the quickest possible time.
For that reason, Darboe maintained that his office had to engage and reach out to the private sector businesses engaged in waste management services in order to partner with them in their quest to finding a lasting solution to their waste management debacle in the West Coast Region.
"Through them, we have now added 9 very big refuse trucks to their fleet of waste collection to collect waste in their region."
