The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs together with the Ministry of Finance with support from the World Bank under the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP) commission and turn the sod for the development of Bureh Beach.

Bureh beach is one of six tourism attractions slated for development under SLEDP that is aimed at reducing barriers to successful investment in tourism and improving the quality of selected tourism products.

The project comprises the development of 0.18km of concrete block paving road construction with 30 space car parking lot with ancillary works including, landscaping, drainage and stone, masonry retaining wall works and outdoor building facilities including a surf club, market shed, toilet with water tower, lifeguard tower, 400m board work from the Northside front to the Southside front, 36m stone causeway ramp and 60m timber jetty.

After Bureh Beach, the next phase of the project is to take onboard River No. 2, Banana Island, Bunce Island, Leicester Peak and Tacugama.

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The Permanent Secretary, Edward Kwame Yankson told the gathering that it was because of the many laudable development strides by the Ministry that prompted development partners to join hands with government of Sierra Leone to support major infrastructural development in six of the country’s touristic sites in the West, North and Southern regions of the country.

The Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh thanked President Bio for the unwavering attention given to the sector and also the tourism minister for spearheading the developmental trajectory of the sector. He mentioned that Bureh Beach, along with Leicester Peak and Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary are the three sites that successfully made it to the top three among twelve identified sites for phase one of the project and that River No. 2, Bonthe Island, Banana Island and Kent will be considered for the second phase. He said stringent criteria for viability of the sites were followed with community representatives, the private sector and officials of the Ministry and the project have been involved in series of brainstorming, consultation and myriad of site visitations.

Moving on, the Minister of Finance, Sheku F. Bangura explained that the program was part of their economic diversification agenda aimed at developing sectors that they know have economic potentials for which the tourism sector is paramount. He said Bureh was one of three sites that have commenced, and it encompasses a holistic livelihood opportunities for people in the community. He said there is a strong supervisory aspect within the project structure to ensure that the project is delivered within budget, in time and in coordination with the community people.

Addressing the crowd, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt appreciated President Bio and the Government of Sierra Leone for acknowledging tourism as a vehicle for economic diversification and growth in the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023. She continued that the prioritization and support to the tourism sector has attracted immense development including the turning of the sod for the development of Bureh Beach under the World Bank, SLEDP. “the objective of the project are but not limited to; facilitating and reducing barriers to business success, assisting existing tourism providers with market access, improving the performance and quality of selected tourism products and help increase tourist arrivals”, she explained. She commended the Minister of Finance and his team including the SLEDP coordinating unit for their collaborative support to the sector. She called on the community to own the project and see to it that it is implemented to the letter.

In the end, the SLEDP Project Coordinator, Mary Jalloh thanked the Bureh community for their patience and support to the project. She commended the Tourism Minister and her team, the Chief Administrator and her bosses in the Ministry of Finance for guiding the process and also the consultants, ICS for putting together the design of the project.

Turning of the sod by the Ministers of Tourism and Finance climaxed the commissioning of the Bureh Beach Development.