By: Aminata Sesay
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Tamba Lamina, has reaffirmed that the authority to establish new localities rests solely with the President, and is not determined by census results. His clarification comes amid public discussions and misconceptions surrounding the government’s recent decision to create additional administrative units.
Speaking in a media interview on Monday, June 2, 2025, Minister Lamina emphasized that the 1991 Constitution, specifically Section 38, clearly outlines the President’s mandate in this regard. He also referenced the Provinces Act of 1960 and the Local Government Act of 2002 (as amended in 2022), both of which uphold the President’s authority to create new administrative units once approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
“People often confuse the legal basis for governance with operational processes like census and electoral boundary delimitation,” the Minister said. “Census does not determine new localities. That is the President’s prerogative, subject to parliamentary approval.”
The minister’s remarks follow the cabinet’s recent approval of two new districts as part of a broader decentralization strategy spearheaded by President Julius Maada Bio. The restructuring will see Western Urban District divided into two councils, and Western Rural District split into three a move officials say reflects rapid urban growth and the need for more responsive service delivery.
Minister Lamina explained that the proposed changes aim to bring government services closer to the people and address long-standing inefficiencies in local governance, particularly in Freetown and its surrounding areas.
“We are developing structures to support efficient and equitable service delivery, and this is a major step toward that goal,” he said.
He also noted that the plan includes the creation of Lungi City, envisioned as both a commercial and administrative hub, aligning with the government’s decentralization and development goals aimed at balancing growth across the country.
Reflecting on past precedents, the minister cited the creation of Falaba and Karene districts in 2017 under former President Ernest Bai Koroma. That decision expanded Sierra Leone’s administrative regions from 14 to 16 and led to the establishment of the Northwestern Province. According to Minister Lamina, this demonstrates that decentralization efforts have spanned successive governments, reinforcing the principle that “government is continuity.”
He also referenced a 2012 parliamentary speech by President Koroma, which outlined plans to restructure municipal governance in Freetown and elevate growing urban areas to council status. The objective, then and now, remains the same: to improve governance at the grassroots level.
While some critics have expressed concerns that the creation of new localities may serve political interests, Minister Lamina dismissed such views, stating that the reform is purely administrative.
“This is about improving service delivery, not about politics,” he said.
The minister’s remarks aim to reassure the public about the legal foundations and development-focused intentions behind the restructuring, at a time when debates around decentralization remain a key topic in Sierra Leone’s governance discourse.