April 1, 2021
It has been suggested that the argument stirred about the independence of the Freetown City Council; or whether government should have influence in the running of the opposition led council can be resolved in the context of the adage put your mouth where your money is.
The citizen budget released by the Finance Minister is helpful in the circumstance where under Transfers to Local Councils it is captured that Freetown City Council has a budget 39,280,448,512 Leones.
The breakdown in Leones is as follows: Property Tax 21, 630,815,138; Local Tax 1,218,000,000; Licenses 5,296,303,347, Market Dues 4,864,320,000; Fees and Charges 4,537,610,000; other Non-Tax Revenue 1, 733, 400, 00.
A-Z News comes to this story to counter claims of the civil society Citizens Advocacy Network that the council is underfunded. Head of the group that many say has affinity to the opposition All Peoples Congress was on radio yesterday misleading the public that the embattled Mayor Yvonne Aki Sawyer has been starved of funds to perform.
With cumulative funding stream highlighted as contained in the citizens budget, objective minds can but see the deceit that is playing out to paper over the blunder of the Mayor.
“Clearly, for the financial year the Mayor has much at her disposal to use but very little to show for it, observes Youth Activist Santigie Mansaray.
Freetown City Council Budget sharply contrasts with other high budget local council earners such as Makeni 2,074,390,104 Leones and Bo City Council 5,351,460,000 Leones.
The geographical sizes of the various councils show stark variance but it is possible to haphazard a comparative assessment in terms of quality and quantum of projects that of can be identified with the three leading councils; put the FCC in bad light considering the development gaps that abound.
“We expect the Freetown City Council to speak to the judicious use of the funds that have been transferred in tangibles of deliverables,” Political Science student Madina Campbell urges.