[ad_1]
Yvonne Aki Sawyer became Freetown’s first female mayor in 38 years in 2018. Members of the National People’s Congress Party are currently running for re-election.
But during her tenure, she raised the hackle for her own style and high-priority projects.
“If you are assertive, they say you are stubborn. I heard ‘she is stubborn’ the other day. I was like, ‘Really?’ Is it because I have my own point of view? And I’m sticking to it.
One of Aki-Sawyer’s main goals was to overhaul the city’s manual taxation system.
With financial support from the UK government, the mayor took satellite images, measured rooftops and other metrics to build a digital property tax database.
She claims to have introduced 70% more taxpayers into the system. She also increased tax rates for those who already paid taxes.
arm wrestling with the government
However, within days of deployment, the program was frozen by national authorities for nearly a year, and compliance remains low.
“The city was effectively operating with no income,” she admits. “So it wasn’t really operating. Yes, you have to pay for it.”
Freetown’s mayor is often at odds with the central government. However, the backlash received by Aki Sawyer seems to be unprecedented.
Activist Varnora Edwin said, “We need to know how to deliver, but we have to[also]play politics.”
“Unfortunately, she seems to have fallen for their trap. ) would not be appropriate.”
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr was audited, investigated for corruption, and subpoenaed to testify about her initiative before Congress.
She is also fighting charges of police obstruction and disorderly conduct over the arrest of one of the city council members. There is
proponents and opponents
One resident who is refusing to pay property taxes is Attorney Chukwuemeka Taylor. He says it’s unfair to increase tax rates for existing taxpayers while providing inadequate services.
“I have to do my own roads, I have to do my own drainage, and am I paying property taxes?” He accused her of exploiting the problem.
The mayor has supporters. “She has a lot of challenges … but she’s still trying,” said Marie Bob Kande, head of women’s groups at the market.
Last year, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer provided shade to the market to protect traders from the hot sun. In the slums, she worked with her donors to build public toilets and taps.
“She talks to you,” said Susan’s Bay slum resident Nancy Sesai. “When there is a problem, she comes.”
However, as Aki-Sawyerr’s first term came to an end, much of her agenda was thwarted by controversy and legal battles.
“How many years left in my term? Six months left. And I’m determined that everything I’ve started must be completed with less chance of interruption. For some reason And shouldn’t I come back?” No, in other words, I will. ”
In Sierra Leone, presidential, parliamentary and local elections are scheduled for June 24th.
If Yvonne Aki Sawyer plans to stay in Freetown, her party is expected to nominate her as the vice presidential nominee against Bio, who is running for a second term.
Asked if Sierra Leone was ready to have a female vice president, Aki-Sawyerr said, “I think people respond to what they are presented with. If they are presented with the right person, they respond to it.” Stated.
[ad_2]
Source link
