Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr on Friday, 2nd August 2024, engaged residents of the Kroo Bay community, about the Freetown City Council planned demolition of structures built on illegally reclaimed land.
The decision is as a result of the continuous downpour and the increasing potential for coastal flooding.
This illegal reclamation, achieved through waste deposits, pollutes the ocean and beaches.
Addressing hundreds of Kroo Bay residents, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that the upcoming demolition is intended to prevent disasters and save lives within the community.
It was further disclosed that over 200 Kroo Bay community members will be employed for an initial year to plant 75,000 mangroves to replace demolished structures and monitor their growth as part of the “FreetownTheTreeTown” initiative funded by the World Bank.
The Mayor was accompanied by Councillors Abdulai Kabba and Turu Bailor, FCC’s Environmental and Sanitation Officer, and the Metropolitan Police.