Government Engages Bureh Beach Community on Establishing National Surfing Federation.

The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA), has engaged stakeholders of the Bureh Beach surfing community to initiate the process of establishing a National Surfing Federation in Sierra Leone.

The engagement, held on April 11, 2025, at Bureh Beach, Peninsula, Freetown, was organised alongside a vibrant surfing exhibition coordinated by the Sierra Leone Surfing Association. The event attracted community leaders, youth groups, and officials from various ministries and government institutions.

Abdul Malik Kamara, Senior Tourism, Travel and Exchange Programme Officer (STTEPO), and Joel F. Dumbuya represented the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Farida Tunis. From the Ministry of Sports and the NSA were the Director of Sports, Haroun Korjie, the Director of Participation and Sustainable Sports, Steven Keifela, the National Sports Coordinator, Alusine Bangura, and the NSA Information Officer.

Delivering the Minister’s message, Mr. Kamara emphasised that 2025 has been declared the “Year of Ecotourism,” focusing on three core principles: Community, Conservation, and Eco-Consciousness. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to developing sports tourism, particularly surfing, to create jobs, boost community businesses, attract international tourists, and preserve the country’s unique coastal ecosystems.

He noted that surfing also presents a viable alternative livelihood opportunity that could reduce harmful practices like unregulated sand mining, which continues to erode beaches and threaten coastal properties. He highlighted the Ministry’s previous support for the 2024 National Surfing Competition at No. 2 Beach and the construction of the Bureh Beach Surfing Facility, funded through the World Bank’s SLEDP project.

Kamara stressed the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration between MoTCA, the Ministry of Sports, NSA, and the Ministry of Youth Affairs to build a sustainable and internationally recognised Surfing Federation in Sierra Leone.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Sports, Director Korjie apologised for the Minister’s absence and expressed the Ministry’s enthusiasm for incorporating surfing into Sierra Leone’s national sports framework. He emphasised the importance of establishing a well-structured governing body with technical and professional expertise to gain international recognition.

Encouraging further progress, Director Korjie instructed the Director of Participation and Sustainable Sports to endorse surfing and fast-track the establishment of the Surfing Federation.

Hosting the gathering, the Vice President of the Sierra Leone Surfers Association thanked the government for its long-overdue support. Reflecting on the community’s 13-year journey, he noted: “We were once called ‘sufferers’, but with this timely intervention, the Surfing Federation will not only legitimise our passion but also end the suffering of surfers across the country.”

The day’s highlight was a land-based demonstration and a breathtaking ocean surfing display led by female surfer Kadiatu Bangura. The display showcased the sport's growing inclusivity and talent.

The event concluded with a guided tour of the newly developed surfing facility at Bureh Beach, symbolising the beginning of a new chapter in Sierra Leone’s ecotourism and sports development efforts.

SLENA Correspondent:

Joel Foday Dumbuya