Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh has attributed the ongoing non-performance of the Freetown City Council (FCC) to the poor political leadership of Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.

Dr. Sengeh revealed that 15 out of 18 Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) councilors met with him to discuss persistent issues within the Council. He emphasized that while he is a politician, his priority is leadership that listens and addresses the concerns of the people.

The councilors highlighted three major issues: Bad Politics by the Mayor: According to the councilors, only one of the 15 FCC committees is chaired by an SLPP councilor, who has reportedly been unwell for over two years. They claim that over three years, only one SLPP councilor has had the opportunity to travel with the FCC, while others have been excluded. In one instance, a councilor’s name was removed from a travel list for speaking out on the council’s stalemate.

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Poor Management: The councilors allege that the city is currently in a state of disarray, with unpaid sitting fees and uncollected waste, due to the Mayor resisting staff movements sanctioned by the Local Government Commission since August. Dr. Sengeh criticized the Mayor for allowing personal ego to hinder the signing of critical documents, which has adversely affected city services and staff welfare.

Backlog of Salaries: SLPP councilors have reportedly not received back-pay that APC councilors across the country have been paid. Dr. Sengeh stated that the issue has been addressed with the Tripartite Committee, and he has promised to follow up with the Ministry of Finance.

Dr. Sengeh urged politicians to put the interests of citizens above party politics, noting that even President Bio has included APC officials, including the Mayor, in official delegations. He criticized Mayor Aki-Sawyerr for prioritizing party politics over the welfare of Freetown residents, adding that her actions constitute “bad politics” and poor governance.

He concluded: “Transparency, public debate, and accountability must guide our leadership. The Mayor must be told in clear terms that the welfare of the city cannot be sacrificed for party politics.”