By John Baimba Sesay
On Thursday 21 May, Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE, Deputy Mayor Kweku Lisk Esq, Council staff, the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and GOAL Sierra Leone conducted an inspection of work on Wallace Johnson Street, George Street, Gloucester Street and Charlotte Street. This inspection was part of the ongoing Central Business District (CBD) Regeneration initiative.
Implemented under the city-to-city cooperation partnership between Freetown and Zurich, the project seeks to modernise the city centre through improved pedestrian infrastructure, enhanced public spaces, and climate-conscious urban interventions. Key components include the installation of interlocking blocks and pavement slabs to create safer and more accessible walkways for residents.
The initiative will also deliver 196 solar-powered streetlights across 11 streets within the CBD, alongside greening interventions and the introduction of a controlled parking system with metered parking options aimed at reducing congestion and improving traffic management within the city centre.
The inspection visit was to assess progress, identify implementation challenges, and strengthen oversight of the ongoing work.
Speaking after the tour, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far while emphasising the importance of continued stakeholder engagement. She also commended the strong collaboration between FCC and SLRA, noting that while FCC secured the funding for the intervention, pavement infrastructure falls within SLRA’s mandate, making the initiative a strong example of institutional partnership in delivering sustainable urban improvements for Freetown.
