Freetown City Cleaning Costs Exceed Le12 Billion Yearly, Mayor Discloses

The Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, has revealed that more than Le12 billion is spent annually on public space cleaning in the capital, blaming poor urban planning and weak enforcement of building regulations for the growing sanitation burden.

Speaking on the AYV programme Wake Up Sierra Leone, the mayor said one of the city’s biggest challenges is limited access caused by unplanned settlements and ineffective building permit enforcement.

According to her, these challenges continue to affect waste management and cleaning operations across Freetown, resulting in significant financial costs for both residents and the Freetown City Council.

“The major challenges we have in the city are lack of access due to poor planning and an ineffective building permit regime,” she said.

Mayor Aki-Sawyerr explained that poor urban planning has made it difficult for sanitation workers and equipment to access several communities, particularly densely populated areas.

She noted that maintaining cleanliness across the city now requires substantial annual spending.

“A significant amount—over Le12 billion a year—is spent on public space cleaning,” she stated.

The mayor further stressed that the cost of maintaining sanitation ultimately affects Freetonians, as funds that could support development projects are instead used to address avoidable environmental and waste management challenges.

Her remarks come amid ongoing concerns over sanitation, drainage blockage, waste disposal, and rapid urban expansion in parts of the capital.

Freetown authorities have repeatedly called for improved urban planning, stricter enforcement of building regulations, and stronger public cooperation in addressing environmental challenges.

The disclosure has since sparked public discussion on the long-term sustainability of sanitation management in Freetown and the need for stronger urban development policies.