Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr recently engaged with youth addicted to the drug "kush" under the Congo Cross Bridge in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Mayor met with the individuals to discuss their personal circumstances and explore potential pathways for rehabilitation. The interaction shows ongoing efforts to address the widespread issue of drug addiction affecting many young people in the city. The visit is part of a broader initiative by the Freetown City Council (FCC) to directly connect with affected communities and understand the challenges they face.
Scale of the Crisis
Last Saturday morning, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the Mayor of Freetown, engaged a group of young men addicted to kush under the Congo Cross Bridge. The interaction noted a growing concern in the city regarding drug addiction. According to reports, hundreds of kush addicts now reside under every major bridge in Freetown. These individuals are also increasingly found living in the back streets of many communities throughout the capital. The widespread presence of addicts shows the widespread nature of the drug crisis affecting the city's youth population. Their visible presence in public spaces like underpasses and community back streets indicates the challenging scale of the issue confronting authorities and social services.
Pathways to Recovery
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr expressed her commitment to investigating pathways for the individuals to access government rehabilitation centers. She described the encounter, stating, "A sad reality is that hundreds of kush addicts now live under every major bridge in Freetown and in the back streets of many communities. Last Saturday morning I engaged a group of kush addicts under Congo Cross Bridge. It was heartbreaking to see their glazed eyes, malnourished bodies and the telltale sores on their feet."
The addicts themselves expressed a willingness to enter rehabilitation if given the chance. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr noted their admission that they collect waste to fund their drug use, subsequently dumping it illegally. "They acknowledged that they collect waste to pay for kush and then illegally dump the garbage over the Congo Cross bridge or along the roadside. They also expressed their willingness to go to rehab if they had the opportunity. I am committed to investigating pathways for them to access the Government rehabilitation centers and will follow up with that," she said. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr appealed to citizens to register with approved waste service providers, adding, "I continue to appeal to Freetonians, you are not helping kush victims ('clean Salone') when you pay them to collect your garbage. They need help to break their addiction to kush, not help to pay for more kush."
Public Guidance and Support
The addicts admitted they collect waste to pay for kush and then illegally dump the refuse over the Congo Cross Bridge or along the roadside, according to Mayor Aki-Sawyerr. She urged residents to reconsider their interactions with individuals struggling with addiction. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr stated, "I continue to appeal to Freetonians, you are not helping kush victims ('clean Salone') when you pay them to collect your garbage. They need help to break their addiction to kush, not help to pay for more kush."
Freetonians are encouraged to register with an FCC-approved waste service provider and support kush victims through alternative means. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr advised, "Freetonians, please register with an FCC approved waste service provider and support kush victims in any other way you can." Contact information for these providers is available by calling 8244 or visiting https://fcc.gov.sl/sanitation-byelaws/waste-management-service-providers/.
