The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs has in a news release on Monday 18th September, 2023 voided the reaffirmation agreement signed by Yvonne Aki-Sawyer in the United States between the city of Haven, Connecticut, United States, and Freetown.

The Ministry stated in its release that they were overwhelmed by calls from citizens over the said agreement and wish to caution the agreement between the Mayor of New Haven and Yvonne Aki-Sawyer, former Mayor, now Mayor elect of Freetown City Council (FCC) of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

They also said Sierra Leone is a sovereign state and according to the Local Government Act of 2022, it is impossible that the Mayor elect of the FCC will enter into an agreement on behalf of FCC and, by extension, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) when she did not present herself to subscribe to the Oath of Office during the inauguration of the Western Region Councils on 17th August, 2023.

The Ministry therefore stated four positions for the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the USA, the Mayor of New Haven, and the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone:
- That the said agreement between the Mayor of Connecticut and the former Mayor, now Mayor elect of FCC is null and void.
- That Yvonne Aki-Sawyer is not properly seated to enter into any agreement for and on behalf of the FCC.
- That the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United States contacts the Mayor of New Haven on the position of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs.
- That this act of fraudulence will be investigated to bring out details of the source of funding for the illegal engagement.

At the end, the Ministry warned the public not to take the agreement signed by the Mayor elect seriously.
In reply to the press release of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Aki-Sawyer said: “Simply acknowledging the existence of a Sister City

Agreement legally signed in 1996 and wishing us well for the future is in no way entering into a legal agreement as clearly stated by Mayor Elicker (mayor of New Haven) in his “Thank you” email to the Mayor elect of FCC.