Through the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning, the Government of Sierra Leone has launched a reclamation exercise for Tacugama Sanctuary Land, officially recognized as a national tourist asset.
Tacugama, located within the Western Area Peninsula National Park, serves as the country’s leading chimpanzee sanctuary and is home to over 100 rescued chimps.
The Lands Ministry mentioned in a statement that the reclamation process, which began on February 26, 2025, will continue until all land within the sanctuary’s designated boundaries is fully restored.
The ministry further called on individuals with legitimate claims and documented proof of land ownership to present their evidence to the Acting Professional Head and Director of Surveys and Lands for verification, adding that the verification process will run from February 27 to March 19, 2025, during which claimants will receive acknowledgment receipts for submitted documents.
This move follows repeated calls from Bala Amarasekaran, Founder and Programme Director of Tacugama, urging the government to take stronger action in protecting the sanctuary from land encroachment.
Amarasekaran has expressed frustration over ongoing land-grabbing attempts, stating that after three decades of effort to establish Tacugama as Sierra Leone’s top eco-tourism destination, he is exhausted from constantly fighting against illegal land occupation.
The government has called for public cooperation to ensure the successful execution of the reclamation process and the long-term preservation of Tacugama Sanctuary.
