This is what the Mayor of Freetown – Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said in a public notice – “ Freetown City Council distribution of property rate demand notice, effective June 11th 2020” – published yesterday:
“Freetown Transformed will be a great city – and we are all looking forward to this.
Freetown City Council has completely reformed its property rates and business licences system so that it is fair for everyone.
“Understanding the impact that COVID-19 has created for Freetonians, Freetown City Council empathizes with our residents, and has decided to extend the property rate payment due date to 30th September 2020 and to reduce the poundage (penalty) for late payment from 15% to 5%.
It remains to be seen whether this new property revaluation and rate payment system will generate the much needed cash required by the council to help address some of the deep economic, social and environmental problems facing the city.
If you are in the diaspora and you own a property or in charge of family property, please make sure you contact the city council for the new payment details, so you can now pay directly from abroad without sending the cash to anyone, which very often means that your council rate is not being paid to the council,” a council official told the Sierra Leone Telegraph.
