Freetown, Sierra Leone – April 8, 2026 – The Government of Sierra Leone has issued a strong ultimatum to elected officials from the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) in various local councils who are continuing a boycott of their duties, declaring that persistent absence will result in the withholding of salaries, official vehicles, and other benefits.
Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Amb. Tamba Lamina, made the announcement during an interview on Radio Democracy 98.1 FM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. He described the boycott as “illegal and harmful to citizens,” emphasizing that elected leaders have a duty to deliver essential services such as waste management, local infrastructure, market regulation, and development planning.
“Elected officials who abandon their roles render themselves redundant and deny their constituents the services they voted for,” the Minister stated. He warned that governance cannot be held hostage to political disagreements.
The move comes amid an ongoing APC boycott of governance structures, which began gaining momentum in March 2026. The opposition party has withdrawn participation not only from Parliament but also from local councils, citing disputes over electoral reforms and other political grievances. Civil society groups, including Accountability Now Sierra Leone, have already condemned the action, warning that it is stalling service delivery and hurting ordinary citizens in APC-led councils across the country.
Citing the Local Government Act 2022, which mandates regular council meetings and continuous service delivery, Amb. Lamina explained that local councils function as legal entities with clear responsibilities for promoting local development and citizen welfare. The Act provides mechanisms for continuity, including the intervention of administrative heads when political leadership is absent. Chief Administrators in affected councils have been directed to step in, manage operations, and maintain essential services.
In a related development earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance, following legal advice from the Attorney General’s office, authorized Chief Administrators in APC-led councils to handle financial resources and transactions to prevent any disruption in public services. This measure aligns with the government’s determination to keep local governance functional.
The Minister disclosed that concrete steps are already being taken in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s office to unblock council funds where necessary and ensure uninterrupted operations.
Broader Decentralization and Governance Reforms
Beyond the immediate boycott crisis, Amb. Tamba Lamina highlighted his ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen local governance. These include:
– Reviews and updates to decentralization policies and laws to devolve more authority and resources to local levels.
– Plans for the creation of new districts and localities, informed by the upcoming 2026 Population and Housing Census (with main enumeration scheduled for December 2026). Phase Two of the “New Localities” process is underway, involving community consultations to reflect population growth and improve service delivery. Proposals have included new administrative units such as potential districts carved from existing ones in the Eastern and Southern regions, as well as additional councils in the Western Area.
– Successful conduct of numerous paramount chieftaincy elections in recent years, with President Julius Maada Bio having formally recognized dozens of new Paramount Chiefs since 2018 to bolster traditional leadership structures.
– Proposed reforms to the Chieftaincy Act to promote gender equality, resolve boundary disputes, and reduce conflicts within chiefdoms.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment: service delivery at the local level will continue uninterrupted, irrespective of political actions by any party. “The welfare of citizens remains our top priority,” he concluded.
Political Context
The APC’s boycott, endorsed by party leaders, MPs, mayors, chairpersons, and councillors in March 2026, has created tensions and empty seats in some councils and parliamentary sessions. While the opposition frames it as a protest against perceived governance shortcomings and stalled reforms, the government and civil society actors argue that it undermines democracy and directly affects citizens who rely on functional local councils for daily services.
