Commissioner Ndomahina Hands Over Trucks to Freetown City Council;

*Commissioner Ndomahina Hands Over Trucks to Freetown City Council; says the Green Public Works will provide temporary employment for 13,000 Youth*

*Freetown City Council, 14th November 2023* -

The Commissioner of NaCSA, Ambassador Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina and his Deputy, Jimmy Batilo Songa have on behalf of the President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Julius Maada Bio handed over two waste collection trucks to Her Worship the Mayor of Freetown City Council (FCC).

This intervention is part of the Green Public Works (GPW) subcomponent of the Productive Social Safety Nets and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project.

The GPW will provide temporary employment for 7,000 youth in rural areas and 6,000 youth in urban areas. At least 50 per cent of all youth supported will be female youth, and 15 per cent will be persons with disabilities. The project will further make design-related adjustments, including selecting a conducive set of activities to encourage participation from persons with disabilities.

The Senior Director and National Coordinator for the National Social Protection Secretariat declared the purpose of the meeting. He noted that green public works of the PSSNYE project will provide youth in urban areas with short-term employment opportunities under GPWs subprojects to improve the environmental and sanitary aspects of urban areas. *‘’This subcomponent will target inactive and unskilled youth, women, and persons with disabilities from poor and vulnerable households’’ *He noted.

Dr. Abu Kargbo, World Bank’s Senior Social Protection Specialist noted that the Bank is committed to working with the Government of Sierra Leone to implement the subcomponent and achieve the project development objectives of the PSSNYE.

In his speech, the Commissioner of NaCSA, Amb. Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina noted that the satisfactory completion of the Social Safety Nets project came with the introduction of the PSSNYE project. *‘’Part of the PSSNYE is the subproject – the Green Public Works implemented through FCC. Once we commence implementation, it will create temporary jobs for 13,000 youth in both the Urban and Rural parts of the Western Area. As we move forward, intensive collaboration is critical to getting the objective of this subproject rights. Together can achieve the big five game changers for the betterment of Sierra Leoneans.’’* He noted.

*‘’On behalf of the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, I have the opportunity to kindly hand over these vehicles to the mayor and management of Freetown City Council’’* He ended.

Receiving the items on behalf of the council, Her Worship the Mayor noted that there has been tremendous work and collaboration with NaCSA. She further assured the Commissioner that the relationship between the two institutions will be sustained. *‘’we are happy to support the wide scope at NaCSA by drilling down, designing and implementing the greening at the Freetown City Council. There is so much work to do and these trucks will be used for their intended purposes.’’* She ended by expressing appreciation to NaCSA and the World Bank and called on *Freetownian* to keep the city clean.

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