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The European Union and the Freetown City Council have launched a governance and service delivery initiative aimed at improving municipal management, expanding economic opportunities and strengthening urban services in the capital.
The Strengthening Urban Governance for Effective Service Delivery and Local Economic Development (SURGE) project will support reforms in local administration while improving systems for delivering essential municipal services.
The initiative will focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of the Freetown City Council, improving financial management and boosting revenue generation to support more effective public services.
It will also seek to expand economic opportunities for women and young people through interventions including support for the reconstruction of King Jimmy Market and livelihood activities linked to sanitation and recycling.
The project will further promote participatory urban planning and greater transparency in decision-making, with the aim of increasing citizen involvement in the design and delivery of municipal services.
Beyond Freetown, SURGE forms part of a wider European Union programme supporting seven local councils across Sierra Leone to strengthen decentralised governance and improve service delivery.
The EU said the initiative reflects its long-term partnership with local authorities in Sierra Leone to strengthen governance, create economic opportunities and improve urban living conditions, particularly for women and young people.
The EU and Freetown City Council are expected to coordinate closely on implementation to ensure the project delivers measurable improvements in municipal governance, economic participation and public service delivery.
