President Bio Inspects Heritage and Conservation Sites Across Sierra Leone

President Julius Maada Bio has inspected three sites central to Sierra Leone’s heritage, tourism and conservation efforts, visiting Bunce Island, the upgraded Leicester Peak Viewpoint and the under-construction Tacugama Innovation Centre on 11 June 2026.

The State House Media and Communications Unit said the tour reflected the Government’s commitment to preserving the country’s history, developing sustainable tourism and protecting the natural environment. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Nabeela Tunis accompanied the president during the visits.

Bunce Island visit

At Bunce Island in the Sierra Leone River, President Bio received briefings on the site’s history and its role in the transatlantic slave trade. He also toured remnants of the former slave fortress, including its holding areas and defensive structures.

Bunce Island served as a major British slave trading post from the late seventeenth century. The site is also associated with the history of thousands of Africans who passed through the island before being transported across the Atlantic.

During the visit, President Bio laid a wreath in honour of the enslaved Africans who passed through Bunce Island. The State House account described the visit as the first by a sitting president in four decades.

Leicester Peak upgrade

The president later toured the modernised facility at Leicester Peak Viewpoint with Minister Tunis. The viewpoint is a Government tourism infrastructure project offering panoramic views of Freetown and the Atlantic coastline.

Bio commended the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs for the site’s facelift, saying the improvements could help attract visitors and strengthen Sierra Leone’s position as a tourism destination.

“I want to thank you all for this tremendous job you have done here. This facelift will attract tourists and help reposition Sierra Leone as a tourism destination,” he said.

He also called for the facility to be properly maintained. “However, I urge all of you to keep this place clean and tidy so that it can continue to serve the purpose for which it was built,” Bio added.

Tacugama Innovation Centre

At the Tacugama Innovation Centre project, President Bio reviewed ongoing construction and expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the work, according to the State House account.

The centre is being developed as a hub combining tourism, education, environmental conservation and creativity. Planned features include a green park, observation tower, greenhouse, visitor centre, hiking trails, an amphitheatre, children’s recreational facilities and a canopy walk.

Additional facilities planned for the completed centre include a cinema, library, studio, boardroom, rooftop cafeteria and exhibition spaces.

Bio said the centre should support creativity, conservation and sustainable development. He also issued a warning over the protection of conservation areas.

“I want to give a clear warning against encroachment here. The law will take its full course against those who engage in land grabbing in conservation areas,” the president said.

The Government has stated that the three-site tour forms part of broader efforts to preserve national heritage, expand sustainable tourism and safeguard Sierra Leone’s environment for future generations.