The Executive Director of Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), Abdul Fatorma has expressed strong sentiment that the country’s outlook has degenerated into partisan sentiment, noting that it’s one of the many factors responsible for the retrogression of this tiny nation.

The civil right activist made the disgusting statement at a stakeholder’s engagement on Saturday 7th June, 2025 organised by the Freetown City Mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr to discuss the government’s proposed plan to divide Freetown into two cities, a decision the Mayor has not only condemned but has vowed to resist.

Like the Mayor, Fatorma has also condemned the government’s action, referring to it as ‘a divisive plan.” He insisted that the government did not consult or involve the people about the process, if it ever took place.

“As a country, we need to think about its welfare and development, than the interest of political parties,” he strongly stated. Fatorma referenced the Truth and Reconciliation recommendation which he said made it very clear that we should avoid things that led the country into the unforgettable brutal civil war especially the exclusion of people in making important decisions around their development. He added that the TRC emphasized on public engagement on any policy making process.

“The government has told us that they conducted a research and have the report, but the people were not involved neither have privy to the said report,” the CHRDI Director further stated.

He recalled that APC also had plans to divide Freetown into boroughs prior to the Ebola outbreak. He said at the end, they were voted out, arguing that it was not because the people hated APC, but perhaps their policies were not good enough for the country. He said the people were expecting that the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party administration would have fixed the things they were condemning their predecessors for but have unfortunately failed to do so.

He promised to put pressure on the government to see reason to engage the people and if possible to reverse its decisions, stressing that what is important presently is not division but decentralization which will strengthen the capacity of the Council to function effectively and efficiently through coordinated service delivery.