November 26, 2021
By Audrey John
Officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the National Tourist Board (NTB) and Line MDA’s (Ministry of Environment, National Protected Area Authority, NPAA and Conservation Society Sierra Leone) have continued the pre-feasibility study of national parks at Tiwai Island and Gola Rain Forest National Parks respectively.
The drive was borne out of President Bio’s desire for Sierra Leone to have its own Wildlife Safari by relocating exotic wildlife species from Kenya to Sierra Leone. The exercise aimed at ascertaining and comparing our habitats and that of Kenya to know their adaptation in our ecosystem.
Stakeholders of the various communities welcomed the delegation and thanked them for considering their communities in the development of the national parks.
The delegation thanked the people of the various communities for preserving the forest and urged them to continue to preserve it for touristic purposes. Gola Rain Forest has been earmarked by the Kenyans to visit because it is the best ecotourism destination in Sierra Leone and also marketable to tourists that will bring development to the community. The community people were warned not to kill animals and cut trees for the preservation of the forest.
It is expected that Kenyans will visit Sierra Leone to do an assessment of our National Parks before relocating exotic wildlife species to Sierra Leone.
The deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, W.I.K. Robinson, the Permanent Secretary, Andrew Sorie, the Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh, the General Manager NTB, Fatmata Hamid Carew, the Executive Director of NPAA, Joseph Musa, the President of Conservation Society Sierra Leone, Charles Showers and representative from Ministry of Environment were all part of the delegation.