Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE has strongly challenged the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) over the suspension of the Freetown City Council (FCC) Finance Officer, describing the action as unlawful, procedurally flawed, and disruptive to year-end financial operations.
In a letter dated 5 January 2026 and addressed to the Acting Commissioner of the LGSC, the Mayor said she was shocked by a suspension letter circulating on social media, which ordered the Finance Officer’s immediate suspension without pay for three months and demanded a same-day handover of financial documents.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr revealed that the suspension followed earlier threats by the LGSC Executive Secretary to transfer the Finance Officer on 30 December 2025—a move she had formally opposed. In a letter dated 24 December, she warned that transferring the officer at year-end would destabilise FCC’s financial management and undermine critical ongoing processes. She said neither the Executive Secretary nor the Acting Commissioner acknowledged or responded to her concerns.
The Mayor accused the LGSC of overstepping its authority under the Local Government Act 2022, citing Section 33, which requires collaboration between local councils and the Commission on staff recruitment, discipline, and management. She stressed that FCC was never consulted on the proposed disciplinary action.
She further clarified that the Chief Administrator, whose reports were cited by the LGSC, is a staff member and does not speak for the Local Council unless authorised by a formal council decision.
Raising further legal concerns, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr questioned the validity of the suspension, pointing to Sections 44(3) and 44(5) of the Local Government Act, which require a quorum of five Commission members and majority voting for decisions. She stated that no such properly constituted meeting took place, rendering the suspension invalid.
As Mayor and head of FCC, she reaffirmed her statutory duty to ensure proper financial management of the council and warned that she would not facilitate any handover of the Finance Officer’s role until the LGSC addresses the legal and procedural issues raised.
“The issue here is respect for the law and the smooth functioning of Freetown City Council,” the Mayor stated.
