By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
Hello folks! Hope your weekend was great. After a long break, TRACE decided to step out this past weekend for a stroll around Freetown. It’s been a while since TRACE last explored the city, and what better way to start than with a visit to one of Freetown’s iconic spots: Levuma Beach. What TRACE encountered, however, was nothing short of shocking.
Arriving at Levuma Beach around 5:00 PM GMT, TRACE had hoped for a peaceful afternoon, perhaps enjoying the fresh sea breeze. Instead, TRACE was greeted by a distressing sight. The once-popular beach has now become a dumping ground, an unfinished construction zone, and a makeshift settlement all rolled into one.
Walking along the river side of the beach, which links to Goderich, TRACE was stunned by the haphazard construction of makeshift shelters that stretched from the riverbank to the sandy shore. Maneuvering through these cramped, overcrowded structures was no easy feat—it felt like navigating a maze that could easily lead you straight into someone’s living room! But eventually, TRACE stumbled onto the beachfront.
What stood before TRACE resembled a refugee camp, complete with plastic tarpaulins, sandbags, and makeshift barriers reminiscent of military fortifications. But these barriers were not for defense—they were to prevent flooding. The once-pristine beach is now a chaotic mix of structures and unprotected children playing dangerously close to the sea.
Levuma Beach, located at the edge of Freetown’s Western Urban District, once held the promise of a peaceful retreat. Its name, “Levuma,” meaning “resting place” in Mende, reflects its history as a quiet spot where weary travelers could take a break. The beach stretches for about a mile, from Lumley Beach to the mouth of the Goderich Lagoon. For years, it was a hub for local fishermen and a favorite spot for beginner swimmers, thanks to a stream behind the beach that created a natural swimming pool—though now, even that has been polluted.
The area has become more attractive for trading as sand miners along other activities has taken over.
The unfinished building also placed a threat to the beach as it creates room for crimes and other related issues.
Most of the beach bars are not up to international standard and it also blocked the beautiful view of the ocean.
The most disgusting thing TRACE found out was the filth that is all over the beach from one end to the other. The filth brought in by the sea and that of the one residents dump into it.
TRACE continues to wonder if a whole Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourist board can’t take care of a mile long beach what is their use.
Levuma beach is highly positioned to attract tourists. Added to the attraction is the view of LOR Restaurants that stands at the peak overlooking Levuma beach.
However, Levuma’s charm has long faded. Sand miners and traders have taken over, transforming it into a noisy, polluted zone. The dream of making it a prime tourist destination has been all but destroyed by unchecked human activity.
Back in April 2023, then Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt, visited Levuma Beach. During her visit, she praised the beach cleaning initiative led by philanthropist Mohamed Billy Musa and emphasized Levuma’s importance as a critical infrastructure and potential tourist hotspot. She spoke of giving it a much-needed facelift, but her words seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
Now, the once-relaxing atmosphere is gone, and the picturesque landscape is vanishing fast. Levuma Beach, once full of promise, has been reduced to a scrapyard.
As TRACE stood there, watching the chaotic scene, one question kept nagging: Where are the Tourism Ministry and Tourist Board in all of this?
Credit: Scribd and www.tourism.gov.sl
