Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has issued her New Year message to residents, outlining the Freetown City Council’s (FCC) major strides in waste management and infrastructure during 2025, while raising alarms over funding shortages and the ongoing drug crisis.
In her address, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr promised the imminent release of a comprehensive annual report detailing the council’s full activities and impact. She described 2025 as a year of resilience, marked by significant progress despite persistent challenges.
A central focus of the Mayor’s review was the overhaul of the city’s sanitation sector. The Council introduced new Waste Management Byelaws in 2025, making waste collection compulsory and formally integrating private sector participation.
“More than 700 Community Engagement and Enforcement Workers were engaged to sensitize our residents about the new Bylaws under the campaign title ‘Dorti Mus Go’,” Aki-Sawyerr stated.
In a move to boost efficiency and create jobs, the management of the Kingtom (Bomeh) dumpsite was officially handed over to Sierra Forever Green Ltd. The Mayor noted that this transition aims to cut operational costs and introduce plastics recycling, projected to create over 500 jobs.
On the climate front, the “FreetownTheTreetown” initiative generated 2,500 direct jobs for youth and women employed as tree trackers and field monitors. The city also advanced its carbon accreditation process, with project documents now pending submission to the Verra Carbon Registry.
The Mayor highlighted several infrastructure milestones, including the commissioning of the Wilberforce Village Market Complex and the construction of perimeter walls at Kissy Road and Ascension Town cemeteries. She emphasized that these projects were fully funded through the FCC’s own-source revenue, made possible by compliant taxpayers.
Additionally, construction began on the Susan’s Bay Care Block, a facility designed to empower women by providing adult education and skills training while offering care for their dependents.
International partnerships also yielded results, including a CHF 2.5 million urban regeneration partnership with Zurich to revitalize the Central Business District. While pavement works were delayed in December, they are scheduled to commence in early January.Despite these successes, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr pointed to significant hurdles faced by the Council. A primary challenge was the “non-disbursement of devolved funds by central government for 2025,” which she said adversely impacted primary health care and other devolved sectors.
The Mayor also addressed the social crisis fueled by the “Kush” pandemic. She linked the drug crisis to a rise in illegal garbage dumping by youth seeking to fund their habits.
“The issues of corpses on the streets of the city, which continues to be a blight on our landscape and our collective conscience, cannot be ignored,” she said, calling for collective efforts to eradicate the scourge of harmful drugs.
Reflecting on civic participation, Aki-Sawyerr praised the nearly 600 residents who attended the FCC Town Hall Meeting in June to oppose the proposed division of Freetown, citing it as a reaffirmation of inclusive governance.
The Mayor concluded by expressing gratitude to the Deputy Mayor, councillors, staff, and development partners, expressing optimism for the continued journey to “Transform Freetown and Transform Lives.”
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