By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Mayor of Freetown, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has publicly voiced serious concerns over reports that Cabinet has approved plans to divide the capital city into two separate cities, each governed by its own local council. In an open letter addressed to the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Tamba John Lamina, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr described the proposed move as alarming and detrimental to Freetown’s development.
According to the Mayor, no consultation was made with residents of the city, who will be most affected by such a significant administrative decision. “I am alarmed that this pronouncement has been made without any consultation whatsoever with the people for whom it will have the biggest impact- Freetonians,” the letter stated.
Highlighting the historical and economic importance of Freetown, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr underscored the city’s longstanding status as Sierra Leone’s capital, a cultural and economic hub and a symbol of national identity since its founding in 1792.
The Mayor warned that dividing Freetown would worsen already existing problems arising from the fragmentation of urban management responsibilities. She pointed out that key functions such as land use planning, road maintenance and water provision are currently controlled by separate Government entities rather than the Freetown City Council (FCC). These include the Ministry of Lands, the Sierra Leone Roads Authority and Guma Valley Water Company.
“This proposed plan… will instead create additional management and coordination challenges,” she cautioned, adding that “best practice in urban management… is to strengthen and not weaken comprehensive and integrated planning for service delivery.”
She emphasized the need for greater devolution of power and resources to the FCC to enable it to fulfill its mandate as outlined in Section 21(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2022, which mandates local councils to promote development and the welfare of their localities.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr also warned that dividing the city would disrupt current citywide initiatives, particularly in waste management. She noted that FCC recently completed the legal and procurement groundwork for a citywide solid and liquid waste collection system under the “Operation Dorti Mus Go” campaign.
“The significant investment in introducing the legislation and building a system for citywide waste collection… would be negatively impacted by splitting the city into two local councils,” she said.
The Mayor also questioned the financial feasibility of creating a new local council, especially in light of ongoing funding challenges. She disclosed that the central Government has yet to disburse its 2025 tied grant allocations to FCC, which affects critical services such as schools and healthcare facilities.
Citing revenue collection data, the Mayor revealed significant disparities in compliance and revenue generation between the city’s eastern and western wards. Of the NLe22.8 million collected in property rates in 2024, only NLe4.6 million (20%) came from the east, which houses two-thirds of the population, while the west contributed NLe18.2 million (80%).
“This disparity suggests that residents living in the east… will be directly disadvantaged by a city split in respect of its own source revenue collection potential and thus service delivery,” she argued.
While acknowledging that the President has the legal authority to declare new localities under the Local Government Act, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that such decisions must also consider population density, geography, topography and future urban growth as required by law.
She concluded by urging the Minister and other authorities to reconsider the decision and prioritize inclusive, coordinated and sustainable urban governance.
“The financial viability of running a new council should be a serious consideration,” she warned, noting the importance of existing systems and development plans like the FCC’s “Transform Freetown, Transforming Lives” agenda (2024–2028), which are already attracting significant external support.
The Government has yet to officially respond to the Mayor’s letter or provide further clarification on the reported Cabinet decision.
