The he rehabilitation of the old Fourah Bay College is ongoing and the total budget for the refurbishment of the historic building cost 1.5 Million dollars, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Memunatu Pratt said during a press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communication.

The Minister said the first phase of the project is now ongoing, and a total of 200,000 dollars has been delivered to consultants to start consultations with the public to get the view of the public on how the rehabilitation is done.

According to the Minister, the restoration of the old college building is supported through the Ambassadors Fund and the Government of Sierra Leone. “Government of Sierra Leone is providing support to keep the edifice intact and to ensure that it continues as a tourist site,” she said. Established in 1827, the Old Fourah Bay College was the first building of the first university in modern sub-Saharan Africa. The. over a century College served a lab for the transfer of western
education of governance, religion, political t organization, and public service bureaucracy.

The historic structure, built of dressed blocks of laterite has the reputation of being the most influential institution in Africa that accounted for the spread of Western education in the continent, particularly in West Africa.

The rehabilitation of Old Kings Yard Gate, Old Government Wharf Step, the National Museum and Railway; Established School heritage clubs schools at regional level and the proclamation of St. Charles and the Maroon Church as National Monuments are also ongoing projects undertaken by the Tourism Ministry. Minister Pratt said the Ministry is also in the process of conserving several historical graves sites

including the graves of Bai Bureh, Bank’s Sengbe Pieh, Madam Yoko and project others.

The recent Sierra Leone Economic update published said earlier this country week by World Bank, projected the country’s GDP to grow to average them 4.4 percent during 2022-2024.

In that report, the bank recognizes tourism sector as one of the major sectors that will contribute to that development and growth.

Also part of the components of the Bank economic diversification Project is the development of sites, the Minister said, Therefore, she said there is a need to develop the country’s sites in such a manner that attract more people and make them much friendly.

To meet this demand, the Tourism Minister noted that the Ministry will this year commence development of Leicester Peak, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and River No.2