By James Conteh
As Sierra Leone welcomes 2026, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has reflected on Freetown City Council’s (FCC) achievements in 2025 and outlined priorities for the year ahead.
In her New Year message, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr highlighted progress in waste management, including the introduction of new bylaws that mandate household registration with approved service providers and the engagement of over 700 community workers to educate residents. Under the “Dorti Mus Go” campaign, efforts were made to enhance women’s access to information on waste services.
The city advanced its climate resilience agenda through FreetownTheTreetown, creating 2,500 green jobs for youth and women as tree trackers and field monitors, and preparing carbon accreditation documents for submission to the Verra Carbon Registry.
On water access, FCC collaborated with communities to establish over 20 solar-powered water kiosks in informal settlements, managed by 200 women, while flood mitigation initiatives engaged over 1,000 residents to clear drainage channels.
The Mayor also mentioned youth empowerment projects, including the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, which awarded USD 87,471 in micro-grants to 18 youth-led initiatives addressing climate challenges.
Other milestones in 2025 included the launch of the Susan’s Bay Care Block for women’s empowerment, the handover of the Kingtom (Bomeh) dumpsite to Sierra Forever Green Ltd., the commissioning of Wilberforce Village Market Complex, and heritage conservation projects at Old Fourah Bay College.
Freetown hosted several high-profile international engagements, including Zurich Mayor Corine Mauch, C40 Cities Executive Director Mark Watts, and the first African Urban Heat Summit, which culminated in the city’s inaugural Heat Action Plan.
The Mayor noted challenges faced in 2025, including delayed disbursement of devolved funds and rising urban issues such as illegal waste dumping linked to drug abuse among youth. She urged collective action to tackle these problems and strengthen governance.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr thanked residents, government, international and local partners, FCC staff, and councillors for their support, emphasizing that inclusive engagement and collective effort remain central to Freetown’s development.
She concluded her message with optimism for 2026: “With our collective determination, we will continue to Transform Freetown and Transform Lives. Happy New Year, Freetown!”
