Honorable Abdoulie Jobe, the Minister of Tourism and Culture has revealed that his Ministry, through the Tourism Diversification and Resilience Project (TDRP), has engaged the services of Royal Haskoning DHV to conduct comprehensive feasibility studies of Kunta Kinteh Island, aimed at developing preliminary designs that would guide the appropriate intervention measures to protect the Island from further erosion and damage.
The Minister made these remarks on Wednesday, 25th September 2024, when he appeared before deputies during the third ordinary session of the National Assembly.
“I am pleased to report that the inception report by Royal Haskoning DHV was finalized in May 2024, and the risk assessment and modeling of hazards assessment was completed in August 2024. The key issue identified by the consultants as affecting the island is a combination of erosion due to local wave attacks (ongoing, mostly cross-shore erosion issues) with increased flooding.
The consultants have finalized three options for preventing further loss of the island that will be presented to MOTC and, most importantly, to stakeholders from Jufurreh and Albreda during the week of 22nd – 27th September 2024,” he said.
Responding further to parliamentary enquiry as to whether his Ministry has any plans to identify all gazetted land for tourism development in Upper Nuimi, Mr. Jobe said his Ministry had requested the GTBoard to reach out to the Department of Lands and Surveys, the Department of Physical Planning and Housing, the National Environment Agency, the Department of Forestry, and the Department of Parks and Wildlife to find out about the gazetted lands in Upper Niumi.
“The GTBoard was reliably informed by these institutions that in Upper Niumi there are three gazetted sites; namely Jokadu Wetland Park, Niumi National Park, and Baobolong Wetland Park. GTBoard will endeavor to work with these government institutions to transform the three national assets into tourism products since tourism is everybody’s business,” he reported.
The minister promised that he would discuss the matter with his colleague ministers of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources; Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs; and the Interior.
On local tourism, otherwise known as domestic tourism, Minister Jobe said it is one of the strategic pillars of the new Tourism Policy and Strategy 2021- 2031, which aims to diversify the scope of tourism and promote wonderful cultural and natural tourism assets to the local population and international visitors.
“Investment in rural tourism infrastructure development is given special incentives in the GIEPA Act 2015. Already, there is growing interest in the construction and operation of sustainable Eco-lodges in rural Gambia; for example, Kosemar in URR; Kauren in CRR; Abcas in Foni Bintang Bolong; Bansang River Site Lodge; Tandaba Camp amongst others,” he concluded.
By Lamin Njie
Information Officer
Ministry of Tourism And Culture