By George M.O. Williams
Sierra Leone – January 22, 2026 – Serious governance concerns have emerged at the Freetown City Council (FCC), as councillors accused Chief Administrator Tom Rahman Farma of undermining the authority of the Mayor and the Council by stalling approved projects, blocking finances, and violating provisions of the Local Government Act.
The allegations were made during a press conference held at City Hall, where councillors warned that Farma’s actions risk crippling the effective administration of the Council and creating an administrative bottleneck.
Councillor Unisa Kamara told reporters that the Chief Administrator had consistently refused to heed instructions from the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, acting beyond his legal mandate. He alleged that several Council resolutions duly passed and approved had remained stalled in the Administrator’s Office, leading to stagnation.
“Activities approved by Council are being denied by the Chief Administrator. The Council is at a standstill because of persistent neglect and refusal to act,” Kamara said.
Councillors also accused Farma of initially refusing to release funds for equipment needed to clean and track trees planted under the Climate Delivery Unit. Documents authorizing the release were reportedly delayed until January 20, 2026. They further alleged that Farma personally monitored the trees without technical expertise, contrary to professional standards.
Adding to the controversy, Councillor Sheku Emile Turay, Chairperson for Transportation and Parking, revealed that a lowbed vehicle donated by the Japanese Government had gone missing. “We were later informed that the vehicle had been towed and vandalised. The matter was reported to the CID, and the Chief Administrator was invited to assist with investigations,” Turay said.
Chief Councillor Zainab Conteh accused the central government of deviating from the law, warning that such interference could lead to administrative chaos. She emphasized that the FCC organogram clearly states the Mayor is the Head of Administration, with the Council holding authority to hire, fire, and promote staff. Conteh further alleged attempts to force staff accused of corruption from other councils into FCC, despite resistance from technical committees.
Councillors also claimed that Farma had written to banks instructing them not to honor cheques signed by the Finance Officer, while refusing to sign financial documents himself. The Mayor, they said, has refused to countersign cheques that bypass due process.
They warned that the ongoing impasse could lead to a complete shutdown of FCC operations, including sanitation services, fuel supply for council vehicles, and development activities. “The Chief Administrator is not working in the interest of the Mayor or the people of Freetown. We are calling for urgent intervention to restore legality, accountability, and effective governance at FCC,” Conteh added.
Responding to the allegations, Farma told Truth Media that he had written an official letter to the Mayor proposing the renaming of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit (MDU) to a Technical Support Team within the Council’s formal structure. Speaking on a radio talkshow in Freetown, he argued that the change would promote inclusiveness by integrating the unit with other departments and strengthen institutional sustainability.
Farma also raised concerns about transparency and accountability in project management at FCC, stating that he had not seen key documents relating to ongoing initiatives, including contracts and memoranda of understanding. He specifically mentioned the Bloomberg and Zurich projects, claiming he was unaware of their implementation.