13/02/2026
The Chief's Diary: Non-Performance of Freetown City Council is Due to Poor Political Leadership of Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr
Today, 15 of 18 SLPP Freetown Councilors came to see me to speak about ongoing issues at FCC. Listen, I am a politician, but first, I am a leader who listens to people and tries to address their issues.
The councilors brought three issues to my attention:
1. Bad politics by FCC Mayor Aki-Sawyerr: I am a politician who says things as they are. There are 18 SLPP Councilors compared to 22 APC Councilors. Apparently, for 15 committees in FCC, only one is chaired by an SLPP Councilor (said Councilor has been unwell for over two years). This is absolutely unacceptable bad politics. Furthermore, FCC has had countless travel opportunities for councilors and over 3 years, I was informed that only one SLPP Councilor has been given an opportunity to travel with FCC. Recently, Mayor removed a Councilor's name from traveling because she went to speak on the stalemate at the Council. I was shocked!
2. Poor Management by Mayor: the city is currently dirty and sitting fees aren't paid for Councilors because the Mayor has decided to fight the central government on several fronts. Firstly, she's resisted the movement of staff sanctioned by the Local Government Commission since August. No other Mayor or Council Chair does this. A certain Finance Officer who has been moved by the process hasn't left his seat at the obstruction of the Mayor. During this impasse, the accountant could sign in addition to the Mayor and the CA. Mayor has refused to allow the Accountant to sign thereby sending the city into filth. This is terrible management- to allow one's ego to get in the way of providing welfare for thousands of cleaners and the health and safety of the city. As politicians, maybe we should read our oaths of office every day since I think some forget.
3. Payment of backlog salary of SLPP Councilors (since such backlog was already paid to APC Councilors acros
