Yassin Kargbo, the General Manager of the Sierra Leone National Tourist Board has finally, after intense pressure from the board, vacated his post. He has been replaced by his deputy, Fatmata Abi-Osagie.
Whilst Yassin Kargbo had dug in his heels, refusing to budge after been asked to go by the new Minister of Tourism and Culture, Madam Memunatu Pratt to down tools, early yesterday Wednesday June 13 2018, decided that enough is enough and handed over.
His change of fortune began when it was reported that during the election period before the transfer of power from the former APC government to the SLPP, Yassin Kargbo allegedly engaged in massive illicit leasing of lands along the Aberdeen beach strip under the control of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Investigation by the new Minister found Yassin Kargabo wanting on many grounds.
Meanwhile, Madam Memunatu Pratt has outlined the quick wins of the tourism and cultural sectors at weekly Government press briefing in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Youyi Building in Freetown last Thursday.
Among many other initiatives, the Minister stated that, documentation for developers along the Lumley Beach has been solicited to aid the ministry in coordinating an orderly development of the Lumley Beach and disclosed that, an on-set assessment of development activities along the Lumley Beach has been undertaken to give the ministry an opportunity to identify problematic areas and come up with decisions to resolve the challenges.
The Minister said, they has also facilitated the installation of mobile toilets along the Lumley Beach, key tourism associations have been engaged to identify challenges and path a way forward to collectively mitigate the challenges within the sector, adding that, these associations include, the Tourism Federation, The Hotel and Tourism Association, The Association of Tour Guides, The Sierra Leone Association of Hospitality and Tourism Professions and the Hotel and Tourism Training Centre.