The Freetown City Council in a press release calls on occupied and unoccupied property owners to pay their rates.

The Council at the start of the press release stated that they are working under the Laws that gave them the mandate to generate finances to run their operations.

“As you are aware, Part vii, Sections 76, 77 & 82 of the revised local government act of 2022 empowers the local council to generate finances for its operations from “own source revenue”. among others. This revised Local Government Act of 2022 also states that the Local Council shall make adequate efforts to collect revenues from their own sources,” they claimed.

Moving on the Council stated their revenue mobilizing and enforcing will be vigorously commenced starting the 30 September 2023 to enter into the third quarter of 2023.

“Further to the above and as we have now entered the third quarter of the year 2023, the council will be vigorously commencing its revenue mobilization and enforcement drive with effect from the 30 of September 2023,” they stated.

The Council went on to advise defaulters to make arrangements to settle all property rate arrears for both occupied and unoccupied property citing that defaulters would face a Law in a section of the Act.

“Defaulting ratepayers must make adequate arrangements to settle all property rates arrears and; section 85 of the revised local government act of 2022 states that “rates are payable whether the building is occupied or unoccupied.” in the case of defaulters’ refusal to pay their assessed property rates, further enforcement actions are stated in sections 85, 86 & 87 of the Act,” they cited.

In the end, they encourage the public to make all payments to the cashier.

“The public is encouraged to make all payments to the cashier of the mobile enforcement team or at the council’s headquarters, Wallace Johnson Street in order to avoid any embarrassment,” they ended.