Freetown, 14th September, 2026 – The Freetown City Council has reported significant economic gains under its flagship “Transform Freetown, Transforming Lives” programme, with more than 10,590 direct jobs and 5,945 indirect jobs created across four priority pathways, alongside external funding of SLE 287.6 million (US$12.5 million).
Launching the Mid-Term Report (2024–2026) at the Council Auditorium, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr highlighted the initiative’s impact on employment, revenue mobilisation, and community development. Introduced in 2018 and relaunched in 2024, the programme focuses on Climate Action, Heritage Tourism, Digital Economy, and Human Capital Development.
The programme has directly benefited 161,565 residents through 50 interventions and 70 training sessions, strengthening Freetown’s workforce and boosting local economic activity.
Director of Planning at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Ing. Sahr Mark Kanawa, stressed that sustainable transformation requires community planning, road and drainage systems, and business infrastructure. He cited ongoing collaboration with the Council on Local Area Action Plans for communities such as Goderich, Bay, Kolleh Town, and Kroo Bay, alongside the development of the Freetown Structural Plan and the Western Area Structural Plan.
Kanawa noted that while disagreements have arisen between the Ministry and Council, constructive dialogue has produced solutions in the public interest. “Freetown is the common ground, and ultimately, the people of Freetown are the people we both serve,” he said.
Beneficiaries such as Agnes Kanu, chairlady of Hagan Market, praised the Council’s interventions, particularly the installation of a Biodigester that allows fish sellers to store products and reduce spoilage. She urged the Mayor to extend similar support to other markets across the city.
With over US$12.5 million mobilised and thousands of jobs created, the mid-term results demonstrate the programme’s role in driving urban resilience, employment, and revenue growth.
The Council and Ministry pledged continued collaboration to ensure that planning reforms, infrastructure investments, and community projects translate into long-term economic transformation for Freetown.
