Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, has raised fresh concern about the growing hardship facing people across Sierra Leone, saying food insecurity is now affecting the daily work of local councils.
Speaking on AYV Television’s Wake Up Salone programme, the Mayor said about 82 percent of people in the country are now food insecure. She explained that when most families struggle to afford food, the pressure automatically shifts to councils like the Freetown City Council, which deal directly with communities.
According to her, the situation makes it harder for councils to meet basic needs because hunger affects health, productivity, and social stability. She said local authorities cannot solve this problem alone and called on the central government to take stronger action.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr said the country needs serious efforts to boost the economy, create jobs, and attract investment. She stressed that without national-level economic growth, councils will continue to struggle as more people fall into poverty.
Her comments come against the background of a long and tense relationship between the Mayor and the Sierra Leone People’s Party government. Since taking office, Aki-Sawyerr has often accused the central government of interfering in her work because she belongs to the opposition All People’s Congress party.
She has said in the past that during her first term as mayor, she worked with her “hands tied behind her back,” claiming that political decisions from central government limited what the Freetown City Council could do. One major issue she has raised repeatedly is the alleged failure of the government to release devolved funds meant for the council. As she stated, this has impacted crucial areas such as health care for the population and waste disposal systems.
The Mayor has also disputed the action of the Ministry of Local Government and the Local Government Service Commission regarding the attempts to redeploy important personnel within the city council. She feels this undermines the autonomy of the local authorities and affects the provision of essential services. Another large area of disagreement was her opposition to the government’s plan to divide Freetown into two local councils. She argued that such plans would increase expenses and lead to misuse of resources in matters like waste management and flood prevention.
In addition to Freetown, Aki-Sawyerr also makes remarks concerning the issues of kush drugs and the power crisis in the country. She has often called for urgent and firm action, saying these issues are hurting young people and the wider economy.
The ruling SLPP, however, has accused the Mayor of using her position to undermine the government and weaken its support. Party figures have also accused her of bias, claims she has played down.
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Despite the political tension, her latest comments focus on the wider hardship facing ordinary Sierra Leoneans. By linking food insecurity to economic growth and job creation, the Mayor is again urging the national government to act quickly, warning that the effects of hunger are already being felt at the community level.
