By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
Tacugama, Sierra Leone — August 26, 2025 — The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary officially launched the groundbreaking ceremony for its Canopy Walkway project today, aimed at enhancing eco-tourism, conservation efforts, and community development. This initiative is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mr. Bala Amarasekaran, founder of Tacugama, expressed pride in the project, underscoring the importance of preserving the sanctuary’s natural environment. He highlighted that the Canopy Walkway, along with a planned Innovation Centre, demonstrates Sierra Leone’s commitment to conservation while creating job opportunities and attracting international collaboration.
Councillor Mendi S. Bangura, representing the Western Area Rural District, voiced gratitude to both UNDP and Tacugama for introducing such a transformative project to the community. He assured his commitment to supporting environmental protection initiatives in the region.
UNDP Resident Representative Fredrick Ampiah outlined three key motivations for their involvement: the conservation of Sierra Leone’s unique ecology, the creation of livelihoods, and positioning the country as a premier eco-tourism destination on the global stage.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mrs. Kadija Grace Ahene, praised the project’s partners for bringing the Canopy Walkway to fruition. She described it as a legacy of sustainability that harmonizes conservation with tourism and education, urging everyone to embrace the vision of Sierra Leone as a leading eco-tourism destination.
Minister of Environment, Mr. Jiwoh Abdulai, thanked UNDP for its support and pledged the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding the sanctuary. He emphasized that the Canopy Walkway is a national asset that belongs to all Sierra Leoneans.
The project, managed by skilled contractors from Ghana with experience in canopy walkway construction across West Africa, is slated for completion by late November 2025.
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