Officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs have in the ongoing Explore and Discover Month of the Tourism for All Campaign embarked on an assessment of islands, touristic and cultural heritage sites at Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom, Lungi in Port Loko District.
The sites visited are Yanlensun, Mabakeh, Bombali and Kerefey island. Boat racing is prominent in these sites, hence the Ministry wants to fit it in the year-long campaign. The team led by the Permanent Secretary, Edward Kwame Yankson, including the Director of Culture, Foday Jalloh, and the Deputy Director of Tourism, Idrissa Bangura, called on Paramount Chief Bai Shebora Sheba Gbereh III and Chiefdom stakeholders, informing them that they were there to see and assess what they have and how the sites can be developed.
The Permanent Secretary informed the gathering that the Ministry has declared this year as the year of domestic tourism. They have started it with Explore and Discover Month, which entails going to places, exploring their potential and packaging them to attract local and international tourists. For the boat racing (regatta), the PS called on the private sector to invest in it as it is an initiative that the Ministry appreciates.
Paramount Chief, Bai Shebora Sheba Gbereh III welcomed the team to his Chiefdom, saying that he was delighted for the Ministry to see the tourist potential that they have.
He commended the Ministry for following up on the conversation he had with the Minister, Nabeela Tunis, to ascertain what they have as far as tourism and cultural heritage are concerned.
At the sites, the Paramount Chief intimated that as the gateway in and out of Sierra Leone, they believe that tourism is important for their communities, and the development of the islands will add value to the communities, generate revenue for them and contribute to the economy.
The Director of Culture, Foday Jalloh, maintained that the islands are suitable for eco-tourism because of their flora and are also inhabitable.
