SALWACO Intensifies Fight Against Illegal Activities in Kenema Water Catchment Areas

The Eastern Regional Team of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has intensified efforts to safeguard water sources by engaging key stakeholders and authorities in Kenema District on the urgent need to curb illegal activities in water catchment areas.

The engagement brought together officials from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) Regional Headquarters in Kenema, the Resident Minister for the Eastern Region, and various community stakeholders.

The move comes amid growing concerns over destructive practices such as illegal gold and stone mining, timber logging, deforestation, and charcoal burning around critical dams and catchment zones, particularly in the Kambui Hills.

Leading the SALWACO delegation were the Regional Manager for the East, Braima Allieu, and the Director of Communication, Gender and Outreach, Mary Mansaray Ngegba. The team briefed the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) and the Regional Commander of Police on the scale of the problem and its negative impact on water quality in the district.

Mr Allieu underscored the strategic importance of dams to the people of Kenema, highlighting the Nyandeyama New England Dam as a vital water source currently under serious threat. He noted that the dam supplies water to key institutions, including the correctional centre, the fisheries market, and several residential communities.

In response, the Regional Commander, AIG Meinday, assured SALWACO of the Sierra Leone Police’s full support in addressing the issue. He acknowledged that the police also depend on the same water source and stressed that its destruction would not be tolerated.

He further directed the Regional Operational Support Division (OSD) Commander to implement necessary strategies, including raids and arrests, to combat ongoing violations in the affected areas.

SALWACO reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement with authorities and communities to minimize, and ultimately eradicate, illegal activities in water catchment areas-an essential step toward ensuring the provision of safe and quality drinking water.