A new survey by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has revealed widespread opposition among Freetown residents to the government’s proposal to divide the capital into multiple municipalities. Most respondents say they want the city to remain under a single council and urge the government to focus instead on addressing daily challenges such as high electricity costs and traffic disruptions caused by funeral processions.
The poll, conducted between October 9 and 12, 2025, gathered responses from 1,072 residents across Freetown. It is the first structured public assessment of the government’s redistricting proposal. The findings show that only 32 percent of residents were aware of the plan, and among them, 62 percent expressed disapproval. When asked about preferred governance structures, 57 percent favored one unified city council, 30 percent supported smaller councils under the current framework, and just 13 percent backed the creation of fully independent municipalities.
Presenting the results to journalists, IGR Executive Director Andrew Lavalie said the findings should prompt both the central government and the Freetown City Council to “reflect seriously” on their approach to governance and public service delivery in the capital. Awareness of the proposal was highest in Central Freetown (48 percent), but opposition was consistent across the city. The poll also showed that men were more likely than women to be aware of the plan.
On electricity, the survey found that while 76 percent of residents acknowledged an improvement in power supply compared to last year, the majority were frustrated by high tariffs. Sixty-seven percent cited the cost of electricity as their top concern, followed by power theft (36 percent), corruption among EDSA staff (34 percent), unpaid consumer bills (24 percent), and government offices failing to pay their debts (21 percent).
The survey also explored views on Freetown’s traditional funeral processions, which often cause major traffic congestion. A majority of respondents (54 percent) supported maintaining the current practice, while 33 percent favored limited restrictions on routes and timing. Eight percent supported a complete ban, and 5 percent preferred allowing only vehicles to proceed to cemeteries.
