At a town hall meeting organised by the Freetown City Council on Thursday, June 26, 2025, nearly 600 participants have voiced their strong opposition to the central government’s proposal to divide Freetown into two separate administrative cities. The two-hour session, chaired by Freetown’s Deputy Mayor, Kweku Lisk Esq., brought together a broad cross-section of society, including Councilors, Religious and Traditional Leaders, Market Women, youth groups, Okada riders, Civil Society Organizations, development partners, members of the APC leadership, and representatives from the media.
Speaker after speaker criticised the proposal, citing the government’s failure to adequately consult the people of Freetown. Many emphasised that, in light of the city’s existing challenges, the priority should be improving service delivery and not pursuing administrative division.
In a presentation to Freetonians, Her Worship the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE, outlined the risks associated with the proposed split. She explained that in order to enhance integration for effective service delivery, it is global best practice for the key urban management functions of land use planning and building permits to be executed by local councils. This is not the case in Sierra Leone, where these functions are in the hands of the Ministry of Lands. In the context of rapid rural urban migration in Freetown, the lack of land use planning and the ineffective building permit regime has resulted in over 45% of residents living in areas that are inaccessible – with no road or tricycle access. This has a negative impact on the delivery of sanitation and other services. Dividing Freetown into two cities would not address this and other major challenges in the city that emanate from the fragmentation of urban management functions.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr also explained how dividing Freetown into two cities would require substantial financial resources at a time when the government has been unable to meet its existing financial commitments to the FCC.
Also in attendance were Ms. Femi Claudius Cole of the Unity Party, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, outgoing President of SLAJ (video statement), Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah Esq., President of the Lawyers Society, and Monic Jackson from the KIDS Parliament, all of whom made powerful contributions during the meeting and expressed their deep concerns over the proposed division. Also present at the event was leadership of the APC .
A panel discussion further provided compelling perspectives from civil society leader, Francis Reffell of CODOHSAPA, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Samuel Valcarcel Esq., President of the Krio Community, and cllrs Zainab Conteh and Samuel Ojumiri Osafele. Each highlighted how the plan threatens the unity of the city, and underscored the lack of meaningful stakeholder engagement.
The consensus from the town hall was clear, that Freetown must remain as it is, and government must shift its focus to addressing the real needs of residents.