By Saidu Kargbo and Ishmael Zay-Bangura
Freetown, 10th September, 2026 – The Mayor of Freetown City Council, Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, has launched the “Transform Freetown, Transforming Lives” Mid-Term Report 2024-2026 at the Freetown City Council Auditorium on Lightfoot Boston Street in Freetown.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer stated that the launch is part of an ongoing journey to transform Freetown, which was introduced in 2018.
Following the council’s return to office in 2023, the administration moved into a second phase known as “Transform Freetown, Transforming Lives,” which was officially launched on 4th July, 2024,” she noted.
Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr stated that “Transform Freetown, Transforming Lives” is built around four critical pathways: Climate Action, Heritage Tourism, Digital Economy and Human Capital Development.
For Climate Action – Direct beneficiaries 24, 882, intervention/ projects 29, direct jobs created 9,375 – indirect job created 5,342, external funding secured SLE 208,128,900 (USD 9,049,083), trainings conducted 37.
Heritage Tourism: Direct beneficiaries 39, intervention/projects 8, direct jobs created 172 – indirect jobs created 69, external funding secured SLE 5, 616,600 (USD244,200), trainings conducted 11.
Digital Economy: Direct beneficiaries 195, interventions/projects 4, direct jobs created 107 – indirect jobs created 43, external funding secured SLE 149,500 (USD6,500), trainings conducted 3
Human Capital Development: Direct beneficiaries 136,449, interventions/projects 9, direct jobs created 936 – indirect jobs created 491, external funding secured SLE 73,738,000 (USD3,206,000), trainings conducted 19.
The total direct beneficiaries of the four critical pathways are 161,565, interventions/projects 50, jobs created – direct 10,590 – indirect 5, 945, external funding secured SLE287,633,000 (USD12,505,783), trainings conducted 70.
For the number of staff 2025: male 387, female 137 – total 524, whereas for the number of staff 2026: male 403, female 127 – total 530.
Director of Planning at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Ing. Sahr Mark Kanawa, said that Freetown could not be effectively transformed without proper planning of communities, roads, drainage systems, business areas and public spaces.
He highlighted the partnership between the Ministry and the Freetown City Council in developing Local Area Action Plans for communities including Goderich, Bay, Kolleh Town and Kroo Bay, noting that the plans are intended to address issues such as flooding, road development, drainage, public spaces, community facilities and safe settlement.
According to him, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Council and other partners, is also at an advanced stage in preparing the Freetown Structural Plan, alongside the Western Area Structural Plan, to guide development across the wider metropolitan area.
Ing. Kanawa said the planning reforms are part of broader initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry with the support of the World Bank, including the development of a new Country Planning Act, spatial plans for eight cities, and regulations to operationalise the new planning framework.
He acknowledged that the Ministry and the Council have not always agreed on every planning issue, but said constructive disagreements had helped both institutions find solutions in the public interest.
“Freetown is the common ground, and ultimately, the people of Freetown are the people we both serve,” Ing. Kanawa said.
He called for continued collaboration in implementing community-level planning interventions, completing the Freetown and Western Area Structural Plans, and ensuring that the new planning system and devolution work effectively on the ground.
He urged stakeholders to transform Freetown, not only by what they do today, but by how intelligently they plan the Freetown of tomorrow.
One of the beneficiaries of the Project, Agnes Kanu, chairlady of Hagan Market, acknowledged the council for the opportunity and specifically thanked the mayor for her unflinching commitment to market women through the installation of a Biodigester. “We appreciate the opportunity provided by the mayor [of Freetown] for us at Hagan Market to be able to store our fishes to avoid spoilage,” she thanked, while also calling on the mayor to provide similar opportunities for other fish sellers in other markets across the country.
