By: Audrey Raymonda John
The leadership of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has held a strategic engagement with a delegation from Ecobank Sierra Leone to explore partnership opportunities aimed at promoting sustainable institutional growth and improved water service delivery across the country.
The high-level meeting, which took place at SALWACO’s headquarters on Tower Hill in Freetown, was attended by SALWACO’s Board Chairman, Mr. Joe Jonathan Ndanema, top management officials, and representatives from Ecobank.
In his opening remarks, Apostle Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, Acting Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director of SALWACO, described the meeting as a significant step toward expanding the company’s operational capacity and development portfolio. He assured the Ecobank team of SALWACO’s full commitment to achieving mutually beneficial targets and outcomes.
Mr. Saffa S.K. Bockarie, Director of Research, Planning, and Policy at SALWACO, gave a presentation outlining the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance water access nationwide. He also highlighted future investment targets, inviting financial and technical support to meet the growing demand for sustainable water infrastructure.
In response, the Ecobank team encouraged SALWACO to adopt strategic management approaches and maintain prudent financial practices to ensure the sustainability of any proposed initiatives. The team clarified that while certain components of potential investment may involve grants, the broader framework would require business viability and profitability considerations.
Board Chairman Joe Jonathan Ndanema emphasized the significance of the partnership and committed to briefing political leadership on the initiative to ensure alignment with national development priorities and informed decision-making.
Ing. Yankuba Tarawally, Director of Project Management, cited examples from benchmark visits to Kenya and Ghana, suggesting that their successful models could be adapted to suit Sierra Leone’s context for improved project outcomes.
Mohamed Aziz Waggay, Director of Commercial Services, underscored the need for a reliable and commercially sound approach, asserting that SALWACO possesses the internal capacity to implement projects effectively.
The engagement concluded with both parties expressing optimism about future collaboration and agreeing to continue dialogue on potential joint projects.