The Freetown City Council, in a robust effort to shield the city from the recurring threat of flooding, has intensified its flood mitigation initiatives by engaging over 1,000 young people in critical drainage clearance activities across the city over the past two weeks.

Working hand-in-hand with residents, FCC has been actively clearing silt and garbage from critical drainage channels in flood-prone communities. The initiative is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to environmental protection and public health through proactive sanitation and flood prevention measures.

Through daily mobilization by Local Councillors, approximately 50 youths per community have been enlisted to clean gutters and waterways. This community-driven approach aims to foster local ownership, improve sustainability and ensure long-term impact.

So far, flood mitigation works have been successfully completed in several high-risk areas, including:

- Mayenkineh, Calaba Town


- Taylor Street, Kissy Old Road


- Guard Street Market, Fourah Bay Road


- Car Wash, Tengbeh Town


- Congo Cross and Signal Hill Dump Sites


- Macauley Street/Circular Road


- Wallace Johnson Street (including the Central Mosque, Boss Station and Big Market area)


- Guard Street–Dove Cut (Eastern Police area)


- Malama Thomas Street


- Salad Gron Market


- Peace Market, Ferry Junction


- Sani Abacha Street


- Priscilla Street

This phase of the 2025 flood mitigation effort is being financed through FCC’s own-source revenue and supported by key partners, including Irish Aid, the Chinese Embassy, the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA) and other stakeholders.

The campaign aligns with FCC’s flagship “Dorti Mus Go” initiative, launched on June 27, 2025, at Calaba Town Market. The campaign focuses on enhancing urban sanitation and flood resilience by enforcing sanitation byelaws, encouraging the use of registered waste service providers and spearheading citywide cleanup and awareness programs.

FCC expressed its sincere gratitude to the Climate Action and Disaster Management Committee, the Sanitation Committee and the Disaster Risk Management Unit for their leadership and hands-on coordination of the project.

With efforts to build a cleaner, safer Freetown underway, FCC is urging all residents to stop dumping waste and wastewater into gutters and to register with FCC-approved waste service providers for proper disposal and effective waste management.

  https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/fcc-mobilizes-over-1000-youth-in-massive-flood-mitigation-drive/