The Freetown City Council has expressed strong concerns over the recent suspension of its Finance Officer, questioning both the timing and legality of the action by the Local Government Service (LGS) Commission.
In a letter addressed to the Acting Commissioner of the Local Government Service Commission, the Acting Mayor of Freetown highlighted that a suspension letter, dated 31 December 2025 and circulating on social media, directed the Finance Officer to “hand over all financial documents to the Accountant before the close of business today,” while also imposing a three-month suspension without salary.
The Acting Mayor described the decision as “shocking” and outlined a series of concerns regarding the process and compliance with the Local Government Act 2022. Notably, the Acting Mayor noted that:
A prior letter from the LGS Commission Executive Secretary, dated 23 December 2025, had threatened suspension if the Finance Officer did not complete a handover to a counterpart from Pujehun District Council.
A letter sent on 24 December 2025, copied to the Acting Commissioner, had requested that the transfer be delayed due to ongoing critical year-end financial activities, but this request received no response.
The suspension and transfer actions were taken without consultation with Freetown City Council, contrary to Section 33 of the Local Government Act 2022, which vests local councils with authority over recruitment, promotion, and discipline of staff in collaboration with the relevant commissions.
The suspension decision did not follow due process, including proper quorum and voting procedures outlined in Section 44 of the Act, raising questions about its validity.
The Acting Mayor emphasized that the Chief Administrator, cited in LGS Commission correspondence as reporting the Finance Officer’s failure to hand over, does not represent the council unless formally authorized.
“The actions of the Local Government Service Commission disregard the technical and operational concerns of Freetown City Council and undermine the smooth functioning of its financial operations,” the letter stated.
The Acting Mayor concluded that the Finance Officer will not facilitate any handover until these concerns are addressed.
A copy of the Acting Mayor’s 24 December 2025 letter, which raised these technical and procedural concerns prior to the suspension notice, was attached for reference.
The matter underscores ongoing tensions between the Freetown City Council and the Local Government Service Commission regarding staff management and compliance with the Local Government Act 2022.
