26 June 2024

On Wednesday, 26 June, members of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government met with the leadership of FCC and expressed their full support to FCC’s 2024–2028 Transform Freetown Transform Freetown Development Plan, set to be launched on 4 July, 2024.

The meeting with the parliamentary committee, attended a cross section of parliamentarians, Mayor Yvone Aki-Sawyerr, Deputy Mayor Kweku Melvin Lisk Esq., Councillors, and Chief Administrator Raman Tom Farmer, was part of ongoing efforts to gather synergy and seek stakeholders’ [MPs] input into the plan.

The 2024-2028 roadmap aims to foster an inclusive approach through data-driven innovation to address Freetown’s challenges and ensure job creation. The plan focuses on four major clusters: climate action, heritage tourism, digital economy, and human development. Among these initiatives, FCC aims to plant an additional 4 million trees by 2028, upgrade several informal settlements, enhance heritage tourism products and acts, enhance digital literacy, improve urban farming to ensure access to water and food through urban farming.

Chaired by Hon. Musa Fofanah, the committee endorsed the Development Plan and, highlighted how it aligns with international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s Midterm National Development Plan. They emphasized the need for robust enforcement of bylaws and for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to devolve building permit authority to councils. Hon. Fofanah assured the committee’s continued support for FCC’s work and the total implementation of the Development Plan. Mayor Aki Sawyerr, in her presentation, noted that FCC has engaged 4,800 residents across 48 communities since May 13th as part of the planning process. Additionally, FCC facilitated a donor roundtable and conducted Technical Working Group Planning Labs involving representatives from government ministries, development partners, and the private sector.