1/12/2024
The Freetown City Council wishes to provide the following clarifications regarding issues surrounding the Ephraim Robinson Municipal Primary School Playground, located in Congo Town.
Therefore on Monday 25th November FCC removed the block work and the wire mesh preventing the children from directly accessing their school playground.
- That the walls and wire mesh that were not blocking access to the school classrooms (those facing the street and those along the left flank of the playground) are providing security for the school playground and were not touched or removed.
- That FCC management has stated that the school playground cannot be commercialized for personal purposes. Support for the school’s development is welcome but not at the expense of safety and access for the school children.
- That rumors the school playground was leased to a church are completely unfounded and untrue. The land legally leased by FCC to the Faith Healing Bible Church for the construction of a much needed health centre and a small church is set behind the school building and is in no way connected to the school playground. The land lease matter is totally separate to the seizing of the school playground by Hon Thompson.
- That several attempts have been made by FCC, the Minister of Western Area, ONS and the Western Area Provincial Security Committee (PROSEC) to meet with Hon Alfred Thompson in respect of his seizure of the Ephraim Robinson Municipal Primary School playground. Hon Thompson refused to attend any of the meetings.
FCC continues to work with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, the Ministry of Western Area, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education, the Local Government Parliamentary Oversight Committee, ONS, SLP and PROSEC for the return of FCC’s property being the Ephraim Robinson Municipal School Playground and for the unrestricted access and use of the school playground by the school’s pupils
