Post a comment
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown City Council has made an urgent appeal to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and relevant government agencies to take immediate and decisive action to combat the escalating drug crisis in the country.
Highlighting the devastating impact of substance abuse, particularly the widespread use of “kush,” Mayor Aki-Sawyerr warned of the dire consequences for Freetown and the nation as a whole.
In her statement, the Mayor underscored the gravity of the crisis, stating, “The escalating crisis of illegal substance abuse, particularly the kush epidemic, poses a grave threat to our city and country.” She reminded the nation of President Bio’s declaration in April 2024, recognizing substance abuse as a national emergency. However, despite this acknowledgment, the crisis continues to spiral out of control.
The devastating effects of the drug epidemic are visible across Freetown. Young people are abandoning schools, universities, and jobs, often ending up homeless on the streets. Many resort to illegal activities such as petty crime, burglaries, and unregulated waste collection to fund their addiction. Health issues, including severe mental illnesses and open wounds, are rampant, and lives are being lost at an alarming rate. “Our teams regularly collect the lifeless bodies of young people from the streets—victims of addiction to drugs that others profit from illegally,” the Mayor said. “These are not just numbers or statistics; they are sons and daughters whose futures have been stolen.”
Recent incidents, such as the unscheduled landing of a small aircraft at Hastings, the sighting of a submarine at Black Johnson Beach, and the seizure of a vehicle carrying cocaine linked to the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea, have raised serious concerns. While government authorities have denied any suspicious cargo on the aircraft and submarine, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that these occurrences, coupled with the drug seizures, are deeply troubling.
The Mayor called on the government to intensify efforts to close the channels enabling drug trafficking. “Decisive, credible, and immediate action is required to combat the flow of kush, cocaine, and other illegal substances into our communities,” she urged. She also pledged the support of the Freetown City Council in preventing the entry of illegal substances, aiding recovery efforts for addicted youth, and providing support to affected families.
“Our youth are not just the future of Freetown—they are integral to the present. Allowing their lives to be destroyed by drug abuse undermines the prosperity and stability of our city,” she concluded, reiterating her commitment to creating a safer, brighter future for Freetown through collaborative action.
